Quality of life and supported employment: A case study of three women with developmental disabilities | Knowledge Translation for Employment Research Center

Authors:	Staines, G., L., Blankertz, L., Magura, S., Bali, P., Madison, E. M., Spinelli, M.,Horoqitz, E., Guarino, H.,Grandy, A., Fong, C., Gomez, A., Dimun, A., & Friedman, E.
Year Published	2004
Publication	The American Journal of Occupational Therapy
Volume	58
Number	4
Pages	455-465
Publisher	The American Occupational Therapy Association Inc.
Background	Programs aimed at enhancing the quality of life for individuals with disabilities are on the rise. This includes work. To understand the impact of new models of vocational training, it may be instructive to look at sheltered work, the long standing model. The job coach model of supported employment helps individuals with disabilities work in the community. The case for a positive relationship between supported employment and quality of life is not well understood. Research aimed at understanding a person's experiences with supported employment and other factors that impact quality of life may identify whether or not the consumers' needs are really being met.
Purpose	The purpose of this study was to better understand the experience of supported employment and a wide range of other factors that affect quality of life for people with developmental disabilities.
Setting	The setting for the study included various employment settings where each participant worked as a member of an enclave.
Sample	The study included nine participants. Three women with developmental disabilities, three job coaches and either a family member or group home manager for each. All women were white, and able to make their own decisions including informed consent. The women had previously worked at a sheltered workshop and were currently working in a enclave of 8 to 10 adults that was supervised by a job coach. The most frequent type of work performed by the enclave included cleaning at various places and entry level food services.
Data Collection	Open-ended interviews and on site observations were used to collect data. The interviews were guided by a script and recorded. Afterwards they were transcribed. The women were also observed while working as a member of an enclave. On site field observations lasted about 2 hours. The job coaches and family members were also interviewed. The data was analyzed using a constant comparative method. All interview and observational data were reviewed and coded. Some quotes were also selected to serve as exemplars of each woman's quality of life experience.
Control	There was no control or comparison condition.
Findings	The three women preferred enclave work over the workshop setting. The participants indicating satisfaction with work assignments and relationships with others in the enclave. Policies and regulations like social security, impacted quality of life.
Conclusions	People with developmental disabilities can and do form their own opinions when give the opportunity. Professionals must be in tune with this fact and find ways to help make sure consumer voices are heard.
URL	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15315252
Disabilities	Intellectual disabilities
Populations	White / Caucasian \| Female
Outcomes	Other
NIDILRR Funded	Not Reported
Research Design	Case reports
Peer Reviewed	Yes

Year Published

2004

Publication

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy

Volume

58

Number

4

Pages

455-465

Publisher

The American Occupational Therapy Association Inc.

Background

Programs aimed at enhancing the quality of life for individuals with disabilities are on the rise. This includes work. To understand the impact of new models of vocational training, it may be instructive to look at sheltered work, the long standing model. The job coach model of supported employment helps individuals with disabilities work in the community. The case for a positive relationship between supported employment and quality of life is not well understood. Research aimed at understanding a person's experiences with supported employment and other factors that impact quality of life may identify whether or not the consumers' needs are really being met.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to better understand the experience of supported employment and a wide range of other factors that affect quality of life for people with developmental disabilities.

Setting

The setting for the study included various employment settings where each participant worked as a member of an enclave.

Sample

The study included nine participants. Three women with developmental disabilities, three job coaches and either a family member or group home manager for each. All women were white, and able to make their own decisions including informed consent. The women had previously worked at a sheltered workshop and were currently working in a enclave of 8 to 10 adults that was supervised by a job coach. The most frequent type of work performed by the enclave included cleaning at various places and entry level food services.

Data Collection

Open-ended interviews and on site observations were used to collect data. The interviews were guided by a script and recorded. Afterwards they were transcribed. The women were also observed while working as a member of an enclave. On site field observations lasted about 2 hours. The job coaches and family members were also interviewed. The data was analyzed using a constant comparative method. All interview and observational data were reviewed and coded. Some quotes were also selected to serve as exemplars of each woman's quality of life experience.

Control

There was no control or comparison condition.

Findings

The three women preferred enclave work over the workshop setting. The participants indicating satisfaction with work assignments and relationships with others in the enclave. Policies and regulations like social security, impacted quality of life.

Conclusions

People with developmental disabilities can and do form their own opinions when give the opportunity. Professionals must be in tune with this fact and find ways to help make sure consumer voices are heard.

URL

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15315252

Disabilities

Intellectual disabilities

Populations

White / Caucasian | Female

Outcomes

Other

NIDILRR Funded

Not Reported

Research Design

Case reports

Peer Reviewed

Yes