Male & Female

A focus group was help to identify common themes about health, health care, economic security, and return to work. Analysis were descriptive and qualitative. Transcripts of the group meeting were read along with moderator notes. General themes were pulled from this material.

Data was gathered using administrative databases and other records located at the three centres. Job roles were classified using the UK standard occupational classification system. Data on outcomes was classified into one of the following: paid competitive work, education and training, voluntary work, discharge to other services, client withdrew and discharged for other reasons.

This study used archival data from four independent RCTs to determine the effect of IPS supported employment on clients with co-occurring substance use disorders. Institutional Review Boards at local sites and participating universities approved the four studies. In addition, the Institutional Review Board of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis approved the data re-analyses reported here. To evaluate differences at baseline between the clients randomized to IPS compared to the comparison programs on demographic, diagnostic, clinical, and background characteristics, study computed t-tests for continuous variables and chi-square tests for categorical variables.

Several assessments were used: diagnosis,
background information, employment outcomes, and nonvocational outcomes. Interviews were completed by one of three research staff and reliability checks were conducted on 15% of the interviews by having a 2nd person review the interviews.

Job satisfaction was rated by the Indiana Job Satisfaction Scale. PANSS was used for nonvocational outcomes and modified to be entirely client self-report.

Overall functioning was rated by the Global Assessment Scale, while social and leisure functioning was rated using one subscale from the Social Adjustment Scale-II: Social-Leisure subscale, as well as a global rating.

Social network information was rated with a variant of the Social Support and Social Network Interview and was requested at baseline, 12 months and 24 months. Quality of Life was assessed through the Brief Version of Quality of Life Interview. Substance abuse was also tracked using the Alcohol Use Scale and Drug Use Scale.

Statistical analyses were conducted as follows:
- "Intent-to-treat analyses of employment outcomes were conducted on the entire randomized sample" (p. 483).
- A second set of analyses were conducted to determine if clients differed in their vocational outcomes.
- Employment outcomes were collected over the entire 2-year period. The 3 groups on time to job were restricted to clients who obtained any work.
-Changes in non-vocational outcomes used mixed-effects regression models, using the vocational program as the independent variable.

Throughout the 2 years of the study information on work, including the type of job, wages, and hours worked, was obtained weekly through brief interviews with clients and vocational staff. In addition, job satisfaction was rated using the Indiana Job Satisfaction Scale 2 weeks after beginning a new job and bi-monthly thereafter as long as clients remain on the job.

Those who consented to participate, completed a Workplace Fundamentals Knowledge Test. Afterwards they were randomly assigned to receive supported employment services alone or to receive supported employment services and the supplementary skills training about workplace fundamentals. Individuals were assigned to the group on an average of 56 days after obtaining a job. Among the 35 participants, 18 received treatment as usual (supported employment services alone) the rest were assigned to the receive the work fundamentals training too. Chi square test and t test indicated no significant difference in the two groups. Workplace knowledge was measured with the Workplace Fundamental Knowledge Test scores at baseline and at nine month intervals. Rates of employment for each month of the study period for individuals who recently went to work was documented by control group and workplace fundamentals group. These rates were compared using a generalized estimating equations analysis. The researchers also compared cumulative time worked, wages earned and job tenure for the first and subsequent jobs held. Mann-Whitney tests were used because that data was skewed. Vocational services used were also analyzed with Mann-Whitney tests.

The data was obtained from the individual client closure reports and RSA-911 national data tape, provided by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). The authors used two tests of statistical significance: chi-square and logistic regression analysis. Chi-square analysis was conducted for type of mental retardation and work status at closure. In addition the authors conducted a post hoc pairwise comparisons (2 x 2 chi-square) for mild by moderate, mild by severe/profound and moderate by severe/profound. To guard against Type I errors, the authors used the Bonferroni technique, which resulted in an adjusted alpha of .003. Then, the authors used logistic regression analysis to evaluate the linear relationship between vocational rehabilitation services and work status at closure. Then, chi-square tests were used to evaluate the proportions of significant vocational rehabilitation services received by consumers with mild, moderate, or severe/profound cognitive disabilities. Then, the relationship between type of cognitive disability and work status at closure were evaluated for consumers who received vocational rehabilitation services. Those consumers who had not received VR services were then eliminated from the sample. The desktop version of SPSS for Windows, version 11.5 was used in this analysis.

RSA-911 national data tape. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses.

Data collection for the RSA 911 data system is initiated at the time of application and ends at case closure. The system includes client demographic variables, service delivery variables, and outcome variables. Stepwise backward binary logistic regression was used to test the relationships between the predictors and the outcomes that were measured as categorical variables integrated employment and postsecondary education improvement.

All of the interviews were tape recorded, transcribed verbatim and coded by the first author using basic qualitative research methods which included the following steps: (i) the transcripts were initially read through (without coding) in order to gain an overview of the main issues and themes raised by participants; (ii) the transcripts were read again several times, with all pertinent references to work being highlighted and detailed memos being made concerning emerging themes;?(iii) the number of participants describing a particular theme, and the frequency with which themes were mentioned, was recorded, as were instances where opposing viewpoints were apparent; and (iv) themes for discussion were selected on the basis of how many participants mentioned them, and how frequently they were mentioned.