An update on randomized controlled trials of evidence-based supported employment | Knowledge Translation for Employment Research Center

Authors:	Bond, G. R., McHuggo, G. J., Becker, D.R., Rapp, C. A., & Whitley, R.
Year Published	2008
Publication
Volume
Number
Pages
Publisher
Background	Supported employment is the best described and most widely used practice for supporting people with mental illness. Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) evidence accumulates quickly; as such, reviews of RCTs become obsolete as new data become available.
Purpose	The current review was conducted to provide a "comprehensive summary of competitive employment outcomes for RCTs evaluating evidence-based supported employment for this population" (p. 281).
Setting	This study is a systematic review. The included studies were undertaken in various locations and settings
Sample	To be included in this review, a study had to be an RCT design, which examined longitudinal competitive employment outcomes for people with severe mental illness. Participants must have been "randomly assigned to two or more conditions, one of which used a high-fidelity IPS supported employment model" (p. 281). Another requirement for inclusion in this review was that the control group(s) must have received services as usual, other than IPS. Eleven studies were included in the current literature review that included individuals with mental illness.
Data Collection	"Three main sources were used to identify studies" (p. 281). The first source was published literature reviews, the second was to review studies in the Employment Intervention Demonstration Project, and the third was to contact "principal investigators and continuous review of the published literature" (p. 281). Data were recorded directly from published reports or calculated by hand from the information presented.
Control	There were no comparison or control conditions.
Findings	Comprehensive employment rates were significantly higher for IPS (61%) than for the control groups (23%). In addition, people in IPS worked 20 hours per week or more (43.6%), compared to the control groups (14.2%). The average time to obtain a job for people with IPS was 50% faster than those in the control groups, ranging between 4 and 5 months for those with IPS. The average weeks worked for those with IPS was over two times that of the control groups.
Conclusions	The majority of IPS participants obtain competitive employment at a significantly higher rate than those in other vocational programs. Most IPS participants work part-time, possibly due to health or financial considerations. In addition, the IPS model supports a rapid job placement; most clients are placed are placed in a competitive job within the first six months.
URL	http://www.worksupport.com/kter/documents/pdf/UpdateofRandomizedControlledTrials1.pdf
Disabilities	Emotional disturbance
Populations	Hispanic or Latino \| Asian \| Black / African American \| White / Caucasian \| Male & Female
Outcomes	Employment acquisition
NIDILRR Funded	Not Reported
Research Design	Systematic reviews and meta-analysis
Peer Reviewed	Yes

Year Published

2008

Publication

Volume

Number

Pages

Publisher

Background

Supported employment is the best described and most widely used practice for supporting people with mental illness. Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) evidence accumulates quickly; as such, reviews of RCTs become obsolete as new data become available.

Purpose

The current review was conducted to provide a "comprehensive summary of competitive employment outcomes for RCTs evaluating evidence-based supported employment for this population" (p. 281).

Setting

This study is a systematic review. The included studies were undertaken in various locations and settings

Sample

To be included in this review, a study had to be an RCT design, which examined longitudinal competitive employment outcomes for people with severe mental illness. Participants must have been "randomly assigned to two or more conditions, one of which used a high-fidelity IPS supported employment model" (p. 281). Another requirement for inclusion in this review was that the control group(s) must have received services as usual, other than IPS.

Eleven studies were included in the current literature review that included individuals with mental illness.

Data Collection

"Three main sources were used to identify studies" (p. 281). The first source was published literature reviews, the second was to review studies in the Employment Intervention Demonstration Project, and the third was to contact "principal investigators and continuous review of the published literature" (p. 281).

Data were recorded directly from published reports or calculated by hand from the information presented.

Control

There were no comparison or control conditions.

Findings

Comprehensive employment rates were significantly higher for IPS (61%) than for the control groups (23%). In addition, people in IPS worked 20 hours per week or more (43.6%), compared to the control groups (14.2%). The average time to obtain a job for people with IPS was 50% faster than those in the control groups, ranging between 4 and 5 months for those with IPS. The average weeks worked for those with IPS was over two times that of the control groups.

Conclusions

The majority of IPS participants obtain competitive employment at a significantly higher rate than those in other vocational programs. Most IPS participants work part-time, possibly due to health or financial considerations. In addition, the IPS model supports a rapid job placement; most clients are placed are placed in a competitive job within the first six months.

URL

http://www.worksupport.com/kter/documents/pdf/UpdateofRandomizedControlledTrials1.pdf

Disabilities

Emotional disturbance

Populations

Hispanic or Latino | Asian | Black / African American | White / Caucasian | Male & Female

Outcomes

Employment acquisition

NIDILRR Funded

Not Reported

Research Design

Systematic reviews and meta-analysis

Peer Reviewed

Yes