OBJECTIVES: Supported employment is an evidence-based practice that has proved to be consistently more effective than conventional vocational rehabilitation in helping people with severe mental illness find and sustain competitive employment. Most research on the effectiveness of supported employment comes from the United States. This study examined the effectiveness and applicability of a supported employment program based on the individual placement and support model in a Hong Kong setting. METHODS:Ninety-two unemployed individuals with long-term mental illness who desired competitive employment were randomly assigned to either a supported employment program or a conventional vocational rehabilitation program and followed up for 18 months. Both vocational and nonvocational outcomes were measured. RESULTS: Over the 18-month study period, compared with participants in the conventional vocational rehabilitation program, those in the supported employment group were more likely to work competitively (70% versus 29%; odds ratio=5.63, 95% confidence interval=2.28-13.84), held a greater number of competitive jobs, earned more income, worked more days, and sustained longer job tenures. Repeated-measures analysis of variance found no substantive differences between participants in the two groups and no significant change from baseline over time for psychiatric symptoms and self-perceived quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with previous research findings in the United States, the supported employment program was more effective than the conventional vocational rehabilitation program in helping individuals with long-term mental illness find and sustain competitive employment in a Hong Kong setting. The supported employment program based on the individual placement and support model can thus be recommended for wider use in local mental health practice.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVES: Supported employment is an evidence-based practice that has proved to be consistently more effective than conventional vocational rehabilitation in helping people with severe mental illness find and sustain competitive employment. Most research on the effectiveness of supported employment comes from the United States. This study examined the effectiveness and applicability of a supported employment program based on the individual placement and support model in a Hong Kong setting. METHODS: Ninety-two unemployed individuals with long-term mental illness who desired competitive employment were randomly assigned to either a supported employment program or a conventional vocational rehabilitation program and followed up for 18 months. Both vocational and nonvocational outcomes were measured. RESULTS: Over the 18-month study period, compared with participants in the conventional vocational rehabilitation program, those in the supported employment group were more likely to work competitively (70% versus 29%; odds ratio=5.63, 95% confidence interval=2.28-13.84), held a greater number of competitive jobs, earned more income, worked more days, and sustained longer job tenures. Repeated-measures analysis of variance found no substantive differences between participants in the two groups and no significant change from baseline over time for psychiatric symptoms and self-perceived quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with previous research findings in the United States, the supported employment program was more effective than the conventional vocational rehabilitation program in helping individuals with long-term mental illness find and sustain competitive employment in a Hong Kong setting. The supported employment program based on the individual placement and support model can thus be recommended for wider use in local mental health practice.
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Authors: Marc Corbière; Nathalie Lanctôt; Tania Lecomte; Eric Latimer; Paula Goering; Bonnie Kirsh; Elliot M Goldner; Daniel Reinharz; Matthew Menear; Jane Mizevich; Tanya Kamagiannis Journal: Community Ment Health J Date: 2009-06-18
Authors: Martin Knapp; Anita Patel; Claire Curran; Eric Latimer; Jocelyn Catty; Thomas Becker; Robert E Drake; Angelo Fioritti; Reinhold Kilian; Christoph Lauber; Wulf Rössler; Toma Tomov; Jooske van Busschbach; Adelina Comas-Herrera; Sarah White; Durk Wiersma; Tom Burns Journal: World Psychiatry Date: 2013-02 Impact factor: 49.548
Authors: Lisa B Dixon; Faith Dickerson; Alan S Bellack; Melanie Bennett; Dwight Dickinson; Richard W Goldberg; Anthony Lehman; Wendy N Tenhula; Christine Calmes; Rebecca M Pasillas; Jason Peer; Julie Kreyenbuhl Journal: Schizophr Bull Date: 2009-12-02 Impact factor: 9.306
Authors: Cathaleene Macias; Paul B Gold; William A Hargreaves; Elliot Aronson; Leonard Bickman; Paul J Barreira; Danson R Jones; Charles F Rodican; William H Fisher Journal: Adm Policy Ment Health Date: 2009-05-12