Consumer predictors of competitive employment outcomes in supported employment
Abstract
Research as well as literature reviews on vocational rehabilitation for consumers with severe mental illness over the past two decades have yielded inconsistent, or even contradictory, findings regarding consumer factors statistically related to employment. The purpose of the present study was to elucidate the relationship between baseline consumers characteristics and competitive employment outcomes—job acquisition, job tenure, and total weeks worked during an 18-month follow-up—in supported employment, utilizing data from four recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Individual Placement and Support (IPS). The study consisted of two parts: In the first substudy, treatment effects were examined by study site via meta-analyses. In the second substudy, data from the four RCTs were merged for regression analyses. The meta-analytic substudy found IPS to be superior to comparison services on all outcome areas across all consumer characteristics. The regression substudy found work history to be the only significant predictor for all outcome areas in the combined IPS sample, although work history accounted for only 2% of the variance. The study further proved that IPS is superior to conventional vocational rehabilitation services in helping consumers retain competitive employment. The results provide evidence that consumers interested in competitive work best benefit from supported employment regardless of their sociodemographic and clinical background.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Bond, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Clinical psychology
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