Factors affecting the likelihood that people with intellectual disabilities will gain employment

Authors: Rosenheck, R. A. & Mare, A. S.
Year Published 2005
Publication Journal of Intellectual Disabilities
Volume 9
Number 1
Pages 9-23
Publisher Sage
Background

People with intellectual disabilities have the lowest employment rates in society. (p. 9) There are many barriers both social and psychological that impact access to employment.

Purpose

The study's purpose was to identify factors that may affect "the likelihood that people with intellectual disabilities will find employment through a supported employment agency". (p 9)

Setting

The setting was a Supported Employment Agency in a large British city.

Sample

The study sample was the files of 200 clients who had received services and most recently exited the agency.

Data Collection

Routinely collected data was collected from the review of client records. Written descriptions of motivation when a client entered and left the agency were assessed and entered into a five-point motivation scale.

Control

There was no comparison or control group.

Findings

When clients entered services, motivations levels averaged 3.8 based on the scale developed by the researchers. The average motivation when leaving the agency was 2.88. Clients who found employment had motivation levels of 3 or above when leaving the agency. There was a "significant association between motivation and outcome, referrer and outcome, and punctuality and outcome". (p. 19)

Conclusions

The higher the initial motivation, the more likely the client was to gain employment.

URL http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1744629505049725
Disabilities Intellectual disabilities
Populations Male & Female
Outcomes Employment acquisition
NIDILRR Funded Not Reported
Research Design Observational
Peer Reviewed Yes