Helen Scott (nee Wilkin)

Lecturer in Organisational Psychology

Department of Psychology
City University
Northampton Square
London EC1V 0HB

Tel: +44 (0)207 040 4585
Email: helen.scott.1@city.ac.uk

Helen is a lecturer within the Organisational Psychology Group at City University London. She teaches on the MSc Organisational Psychology/Behaviour and BSc Psychology programs. Helen conducted her PhD research at Goldsmiths. She is currently a member of the BPS Division of Occupational Psychology Committee and chair of the DOP Conference Committee.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Helen’s research interests lie in the areas of empathy and emotional intelligence. In addition, she has recently begun to focus on the topic of employee engagement in order to build an evidence base for a popular topic in organisations.

The concepts of empathy and emotional intelligence within psychology have clear parallels in terms of content and method of investigation. Within Occupational Psychology, these concepts are important for relationship building with clients. This is particularly in the healthcare sector but also for other roles such as leadership and customer service. Helen’s quantitative research has examined the links between empathy, emotional intelligence, culture and performance. In addition, qualitative investigations have been conducted to build an empirical model of empathy in healthcare roles.

Helen is also involved in ongoing research investigating the concept of employee engagement, a topic which has emerged very recently within Occupational Psychology. Research is investigating the predictors and outcomes of employee engagement. Comparisons of different conceptualisations of engagement across a range of roles and organisations have also been conducted.

RECENT AND FORTHCOMING PUBLICATIONS

Silvester, J., Kerrin, M., Wilkin, H., & Loivette, S. (2006). Top Teams in Local Government. Report for the Improvement and Development Agency, Work Psychology Partnership.

Stewart, L.J., Palmer, S., Wilkin, H. & Kerrin, M. (2008). Towards a model of coaching transfer: perationalising coaching success and the facilitators and barriers to transfer. International Coaching Psychology Review, 3(2), 87 – 109.

Wilkin, H., Silvester, J. & Patterson, F. (2008). Assessing empathy in medical selection: Evidence for construct and cross-cultural validity. In preparation.

Wilkin, H. & Silvester, J. (2007). Promoting Empathy in Nursing: Nurse and Patient Perspectives. Paper presented at the BPS Occupational Psychology Conference, Bristol, 2007.

Wilkin, H., Silvester, J. & Patterson, F. (2006). The challenge for international recruitment: Cross cultural demonstration of empathy and emotional intelligence in healthcare professionals. Paper presented at the BPS Occupational Psychology Conference, Glasgow, 2006.

Wilkin, H. & Silvester, J. (2004). Developing Successful Client Relationships: Predictors of Empathy. Paper presented at the BPS Occupational Psychology Conference, Stratford, 2004.