Factors affecting employment following spinal cord injury: A qualitative study | Knowledge Translation for Employment Research Center

Authors:	Charbonneau, A., Bruning, W., Titus-Howard, T., Ellerbeck, E., Whittle, J., Hall, S., Campbell, J., Lewis, S., & Munro, S.
Year Published	2001
Publication	Rehabilitation Psychology
Volume	46
Number	4
Pages	400-416
Publisher	Educational Publishing Foundation
Background	Results from the University of Michigan Model Spinal Cord Injury Care Systems database indicate that, even though 59% of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) are employed before injury, the majority (75%) are not employed at follow-up after injury.
Purpose	The purpose of the study was to examine factors influencing successful return to work following spinal cord injury (SCI).
Setting	The setting included a variety of rehabilitation programs.
Sample	Six employed and 6 unemployed persons with SCI were matched based on education, race, age, gender, time since injury, and level of function.
Data Collection	This was a qualitative research design. Interviews were used to collect data.
Control	A comparison was made between employed persons to unemployed persons.
Findings	Psychological and environmental factors were found to be the strongest moderating variables affecting employment. Key psychological factors associated with employment were optimism, self-esteem, achievement orientation, and role models. Key environmental factors were monetary incentives, disincentives, access, and accommodation.
Conclusions	Employment barriers and the perception of these barriers as insurmountable need to be decreased. Policies that promote return to work with former employers are likely to improve employment rates for persons with SCI. A more intensive job exploration process using job shadowing of peers and positive peer models may also improve employment after SCI.
URL	http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2001-05160-003
Disabilities
Populations	White / Caucasian \| Male
Outcomes	Full-time employment \| Part-time employment \| Return to work
NIDILRR Funded	Yes
Research Design	Qualitative
Peer Reviewed	Yes

Year Published

2001

Publication

Rehabilitation Psychology

Volume

46

Number

4

Pages

400-416

Publisher

Educational Publishing Foundation

Background

Results from the University of Michigan Model Spinal Cord Injury Care Systems database indicate that, even though 59% of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) are employed before injury, the majority (75%) are not employed at follow-up after injury.

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to examine factors influencing successful return to work following spinal cord injury (SCI).

Setting

The setting included a variety of rehabilitation programs.

Sample

Six employed and 6 unemployed persons with SCI were matched based on education, race, age, gender, time since injury, and level of function.

Data Collection

This was a qualitative research design. Interviews were used to collect data.

Control

A comparison was made between employed persons to unemployed persons.

Findings

Psychological and environmental factors were found to be the strongest moderating variables affecting employment. Key psychological factors associated with employment were optimism, self-esteem, achievement orientation, and role models. Key environmental factors were monetary incentives, disincentives, access, and accommodation.

Conclusions

Employment barriers and the perception of these barriers as insurmountable need to be decreased. Policies that promote return to work with former employers are likely to improve employment rates for persons with SCI. A more intensive job exploration process using job shadowing of peers and positive peer models may also improve employment after SCI.

URL

http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/2001-05160-003

Disabilities

Populations

White / Caucasian | Male

Outcomes

Full-time employment | Part-time employment | Return to work

NIDILRR Funded

Yes

Research Design

Qualitative

Peer Reviewed

Yes