1. First, list your current professional title. Second, describe your background, experience, and research as it relates to Quality-of-life studies. Feel free to describe this in detail.
I am currently working as Assistant Professor at the Behavioural Science Research Institute (BSRI), Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand. I started my professional career in a telecom firm in India, my native country, after completing my education withPsychology (honours) at bachelor level, which was followed by MBA (in marketing). I moved with my family to Thailand in the late 1990s, and went on to do PhD in Applied Behaviour Science Research at BSRI and completed it in 2008. The topic that I chose for my dissertation was about job well-being of international school teachers.
My PhD Thesis:
Mohan, K.P. (2008). Enhancing the Coping Skills and the Job Well-Being of International School Teachers in Bangkok: An Action Research Approach. (Doctoral dissertation, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok). Available athttp://bsris.swu.ac.th/thesis/452996006RB999.pdf
In 2009 I joined the BSRI and have enjoyed teaching subjects related to various aspects of work behaviour, such as quality of work-life, work-life balance, work effectiveness and others.I was able to integrate my education and industry experience for teaching and research. I think the most valuable part of working at the BSRI has been that we have an “applied” focus in teaching and learning as well as in research, that allows us to apply our knowledge to make a change to enhance thequality of lifeof people- individuals, groups and organizations.
2. What initially attracted you to the field of quality-of-life studies?
Reflecting on when I was attracted to this area/ discipline can perhaps be traced back to when I was choosing my topic of research for my dissertation. Over the years my research interest and teaching focus have been about how work impacts wellbeing and quality of life. Moreover, the opportunity to use the interdisciplinary perspectives of behavioral science in conducting research and then “applying” the outcomes to enhance the experience of workers in some way has been a driving force for me.
Since 2012, I have also been associated with theJournal of Behavioral Science, an international, peer reviewed journal, that is indexed in the international database such asSCOPUS, EBSCO, ESCI, ASEAN citation index and Thailand’s national citation index (TCI- tier 1). As the editor-in-chief of this journal, I get an excellent opportunity to not only read/edit some interesting work by other researchers, and I strive to support young researchers who seek unique solutions to behavioral issues of work/life that result in improving or changing the quality-of-life experiences.
Some of the interesting work that I had the opportunity to do and publish has been collaborative, with other researchers in this area. Sharing some of these works-
A cross cultural research in QoWL:
Mohan, K.P. and Suppareakchaisakul, N. (2014). The Psychosocial Correlates of Quality of Work Life of the University Teachers in Thailand and Malaysia. International Journal of Behavioral Science, 9 (2), 1-16.https://www.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/IJBS/article/view/20099/pdf
Recent research interest due to the impact of COVID-19, which I presented at theISQOLS-2020andISQOLS-2021, and that was later published in theARQol:
Mohan, K.P., Peungposop, N. & Kalra, P. (2023). Psychosocial Influences on Coping and Well-being during the Covid-19 Lockdown in the Early Days of the Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Research. Applied Research in Quality of Life (ARQol), 18, 163–193. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-022-10115-2
Ongoing research collaboration with an international network (GLOW Project) along with my colleagues at Thailand-
Mohan, K.P., Yoelao, D., & Sombatwattana, P. (2023). Mediating Effects of Sufficiency Living Wage between Pay Fairness and Work/ Life Capabilities among Workers in Thailand. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 44 (1), 51–60.https://doi.org/10.34044/j.kjss.2023.44.1.06
Related to my current research interest in supporting the wellbeing of students-
Mohan, K. P. (2023). Mental Health and Well-Being Support for Thai University Graduates: A Qualitative Exploration of Pathways to Develop a Resilient Workforce. Journal of Population and Social Studies [JPSS], 31, 783–801.https://so03.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/jpss/article/view/265992
3. What are some areas of quality-of-life studies you feel are lacking attention? Any advice for future QoL researchers?
As a behavioral science researcher, I would like to urge future QoL researchers to systematically and scientifically explore the impact on QoL of various challenges in our life today- especially the impact on environment.
It could be of great significance if QoL studies are: 1) linked to United Nation’s 17 SDGs; 2) developed after ethical clearance from universities/ institutes; 3) linked to not only investigation but also “applying” the findings to enhance QoL such as by developing programs, instruments, interventions etc.; and 4) sharing your unique perspective from the context/ culture.
4. How long have you been a member of ISQOLS? Why did you choose to be a member of ISQOLS? How has your involvement in ISQOLS impacted your career/research/advancement in your knowledge of QoL studies?
My association as a formal member began in 2020 but I knew about the organization since some years earlier as one of the Directors of BSRI was a member too. For me joining as a member provided a valuable opportunity to join the annual ISQOLS conferences online (especially during the pandemic), present my research and listen to others in the same field.
In 2022, I enrolled in the online course- “The Psychology of Wellbeing” taught by the eminent Prof. Dr. M. Joseph Sirgy, and organized by ISQOLS. This was an excellent experience for me and I also went on to write and publish my own academic book:
Mohan, K.P. (2023).Behavioral Science Perspectives on Wellbeing: Exploring Concepts, Theories, Research and Applications. Rojchanaprinting Limited Partnership. ISBN: 978-616-598-782-0.s.
I am still an active member of ISQOLS and attend webinars (very meaningful) as well as plan to attend the on-site conference in 2024.
5. Feel free to include any other important comments or things you'd like to share with the ISQOLS community.
I am deeply inspired by the ISQOLS community and how people are willing to support the work of each other. I had excellent online support from Ms. Jill Johnson, the Executive Director of ISQOLS. I found that she responds very promptly to any queries or support we may need.
Another valuable experience has been of publishing in the ARQoL with Prof. Dr. Martijn J. Burger as the editor of the special issue on the impact of Covid-19.
I would like to recommend young researchers in the field of QoL to join and share their experiences with others.
