Male & Female

Researchers identified a set of topics to address through a review of the relevant literature. This included:

(a) individual characteristics and personal attributes,

(b) family support and expectations,

(c) high school and postschool school services and supports,

(d) workplace experiences, and

(e) other postschool training or education.

Data was collected over four years. Initial post-school interviews took place when participants were between 3 and 6 years out of high school. The second phase of data collection occurred up to 4 years following the initial interview when participants were between 7 and 10 years out of school. In total there were 66 interviews. this included interviews with 24 young adults, 18 with family 11 with employers, 8 with school personnel and 5 with rehabilitation counselors. In addition a family background questionnaire, job history form were completed for each participant along with a file review of special education and vocational rehabilitation records.

Field notes were kept on all contacts with participants and key informants. Onsite observations, field notes and file reviews were recorded on structured forms. Case study data for each participant was completed following standard qualitative analysis procedures. Cross case data summaries and explanatory tables were used to determine which characteristics influenced outcomes similarly or uniquely across cases.

Employment data was collected at 6-month and 12-month follow up interviews.

Open-ended interviews with minimal prompting were taped and transcribed. They were then read and coded with comparisons to other interviews taking place at the same time. The transcripts were then sent to the participants for verification of accuracy.

The cumulative measures of employment, total hours worked, and wages earned during the study period were analyzed with fixed-effect procedures. Logistic regression was used to test whether the participant worked during the study, and an analysis of variance was used to test log hours worked and log wages earned. The probability of working over time by treatment group was analyzed as a repeated binary measure using generalized estimating equations to adjust SEs. This secured an estimate of the "population-averaged" effect of working over time for the 2 treatment groups.

Interview assessments with EIDP participants elicited information about demographic characteristics, previous employment, current income, clinical indicators, and other relevant information at six month intervals for 24 months. Sites also collected data on the types of vocational and clinical services received by EIDP participants. Recruitment of study participants took place between February 1996 and May 2000. Random effects meta analysis were fist to the data over multiple sites. All analyses showed consistency between sites. Effect sizes for the job acquisition and job retention variables were calculated using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis statistical software. A;; hypothesis were two-tailed, and the standard p value of p<.05 was used for rejection of the null hypothesis.

Socio-demographic data and their employment outcome after a six-month job skills retraining and job settlement service were collected for analysis.

Data on individuals receiving vocational rehabilitation services were obtained from the US Department of Education‚ Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. This included demographic variables, impairment cause, types and cost of services paid for by the Rehabilitation Services Administration, reasons for closure, and competitive employment status. There were three dependent variables. The first indicating whether the case was closed because the rehabilitation service provider believed that the individual‚ disability was too significant to benefit from services. The second was the total dollar amount the state VR agency spent on services. The third was whether individuals
achieved competitive employment by the time of case closure. Bivariate associations between impairment cause and all other variables were estimated using means, medians and ANOVA for expenditure data, and frequencies and chi square tests for all other variables.

Baseline comparisons

In order to assess baseline equivalence of the groups, proportions of categorical variables at baseline were compared according to initial group assignment using 2-tests. Values of continuous measures were compared using either the t-test or, for non-normally distributed variables, the (non-parametric) Mann-Whitney U-test.

Vocational outcomes

Intention-to-treat analyses were conducted first, including all individuals and time periods for which we had data. Groups were compared on measures pertaining to any paid work (competitive or not) and competitive work only.

Questionnaires were mailed to all RA patients who used a province-wide arthritis treatment program between 1991 and 1998 (n = 1,824). The association between risk factors and WD ( as no paid work due to RA for at least 6 months) was assessed using multiple logistic regression analysis, controlling for significant sociodemographic and disease-related variables.

Individuals were randomly assigned to DPA or IPS. Afterwards they were followed for two years. Objective data related to paid employment outcomes was collected through quarterly participant interviews. Data pertaining to the predictor variable, working alliance were collected by participant interviews every 6 months for individuals who were working at the time.
Demographic variables were measured by the Uniform Client Data Inventory and work history by the Employment and Income Review at baseline. Psychiatric symptoms were assessed at baseline and semiannual periods using the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale. Employment outcomes included total duration of paid work and mean paid job tenure. A scale was developed to measure working alliance. It included items related to emotional support, instrumental/informational support, frequency of performance feedback, stressfulness of the relationship, how critical the vocational worker was to the client and the person's overall satisfaction with the relationship.
Fidelity to the IPS or DPA model tenants were assessed every 6 months for both sites where individuals received services.
Stepwise hierarchical multiple regression analysis were run to determine relationships between the working alliance and employment outcomes. Baseline variables were controlled for and were entered into the regression model. Related to the number of days of paid work and job tenure applicable covariates were entered.
The working alliance variable was added in the second step of the regression analysis. Zero order correlates were also run. Independent t test was used to determine differences between IPS and DPA on working alliance.