Effect of a vocationally-focused brief cognitive behavioural intervention on employment-related outcomes for individuals with mood and anxiety disorders | Knowledge Translation for Employment Research Center

Authors:	Kielhofner, G., Braveman, B., Fogg, L., & Levin, M.
Year Published	2008
Publication	Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Volume	37
Number	4
Pages	247-251
Publisher	Taylor & Francis
Background	The topic of employment among persons with mental illness has become increasingly salient in the research literature, as practitioners identify both the benefits of employment to quality of life and the difficulties faced by persons with mental illness in obtaining and maintaining competitive positions (Bond, Drake, & Becker, 2008). These difficulties include the impact of symptoms on work task completion, difficulty coping with work stress, and the impact of interpersonal stressors (Becker et al., 1998).
Purpose	The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effectiveness of a brief cognitive behavioral therapy group intervention that targets vocational stressors for individuals whose vocational functioning had been significantly impacted by mental illness.
Setting	The setting was a community counseling center.
Sample	The study sample included 16 individuals with mood and anxiety disorder diagnoses.
Data Collection	Wilcoxon's signed rank test was used to test change as a result of the intervention.
Control	There was no control or comparison condition.
Findings	It was found that employed persons reported an improved sense of mastery in the completion of work tasks, improved satisfaction with work supervision, and decreased satisfaction with advancement and job security. Unemployed participants reported improved expectancy for employment success.
Conclusions	Promising areas for future investigation include (a) examination of the outcomes of separate CBT interventions specifically tailored for employed and unemployed individuals; (b) examination of the impact of CBT interventions when paired with an evidence based vocational intervention (e.g., supported employment), as has been suggested by others (e.g., Bond, 2004); and (c) examination of longer versions of this form of intervention (e.g., 8‚Äì10 sessions) to help to determine whether this would improve assimilation of materials/techniques and provide more opportunities to practice skills.
URL	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19023766
Disabilities	Emotional disturbance
Populations	Male & Female
Outcomes	Employment acquisition \| Full-time employment \| Part-time employment
NIDILRR Funded	No
Research Design	Case reports
Peer Reviewed	Yes

Year Published

2008

Publication

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Volume

37

Number

4

Pages

247-251

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Background

The topic of employment among persons with mental illness has become increasingly salient in the research literature, as practitioners identify both the benefits of employment to quality of life and the difficulties faced by persons with mental illness in obtaining and maintaining competitive positions (Bond, Drake, & Becker, 2008). These difficulties include the impact of symptoms on work task completion, difficulty coping with work stress, and the impact of interpersonal stressors (Becker et al., 1998).

Purpose

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effectiveness of a brief cognitive behavioral therapy group intervention that targets vocational stressors for individuals whose vocational functioning had been significantly impacted by mental illness.

Setting

The setting was a community counseling center.

Sample

The study sample included 16 individuals with mood and anxiety disorder diagnoses.

Data Collection

Wilcoxon's signed rank test was used to test change as a result of the intervention.

Control

There was no control or comparison condition.

Findings

It was found that employed persons reported an improved sense of mastery in the completion of work tasks, improved satisfaction with work supervision, and decreased satisfaction with advancement and job security. Unemployed participants reported improved expectancy for employment success.

Conclusions

Promising areas for future investigation include (a) examination of the outcomes of separate CBT interventions specifically tailored for employed and unemployed individuals; (b) examination of the impact of CBT interventions when paired with an evidence based vocational intervention (e.g., supported employment), as has been suggested by others (e.g., Bond, 2004); and (c) examination of longer versions of this form of intervention (e.g., 8‚Äì10 sessions) to help to determine whether this would improve assimilation of materials/techniques and provide more opportunities to practice skills.

URL

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19023766

Disabilities

Emotional disturbance

Populations

Male & Female

Outcomes

Employment acquisition | Full-time employment | Part-time employment

NIDILRR Funded

No

Research Design

Case reports

Peer Reviewed

Yes