Peter Caputi

Peter Caputi is a Professor at the School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, where he has served since 2017. He was previously Head of School from 2015-2022 and maintains an ongoing role as Visiting Professor at the University of Stavanger, Norway since 2014. His academic journey began with a Bachelor of Arts Honours and Diploma of Mathematics from the University of Wollongong, followed by a PhD from the University of Melbourne.

His educational background includes:

• PhD - University of Melbourne
• Bachelor of Arts Honours - University of Wollongong
• Diploma of Mathematics - University of Wollongong

Professor Caputi's research spans applied health psychology with particular emphasis on occupational health psychology and workplace wellbeing. His work bridges clinical practice with organizational behavior, focusing on mental health promotion, cultural competence in healthcare settings, and clinical decision-making processes. Recent publications demonstrate his commitment to addressing critical issues in aged care, particularly regarding antibiotic stewardship and clinical uncertainty. His research methodology combines quantitative and qualitative approaches to examine complex psychological phenomena in real-world contexts.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on cultural competence in mental health care, with multiple studies examining racial attitudes and therapeutic practices. Another significant research stream investigates clinical decision-making in aged care settings, particularly regarding antibiotic use. His work on emotional intelligence, stress management, and crisis support workers' wellbeing demonstrates the breadth of his applied health psychology research.

Professor Caputi actively supervises numerous higher degree research students across diverse topics including mental health care, workplace wellbeing, cultural competence, and clinical decision-making. His research has been supported by various funding bodies including Australian Research Council Linkage Projects, University of Wollongong internal grants, and EU Collaborative Research Grants.

His leadership in research extends to interdisciplinary collaborations across psychology, nursing, public health, and medical decision-making fields. Current projects include investigations into resilience in helping professions, mental health outcomes for bariatric surgery patients, and cultural competence in Australian mental healthcare settings.