Abstract
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Objective: This study explored the relationship between employment and recovery
in individuals with psychiatric disabilities and proposed that participants who
were employed would have higher levels of recovery than participants who were
not employed. Methods: Data were analysed from a pre-existing data-set produced
in a large scale NHMRC project conducted as part of the Australian
Integrated Mental Health Initiative (AIMhi), High Support Stream. Participants
were 344 people with a range of psychiatric illnesses who received support from
11 public sector and non-government mental health organizations in Queensland
and New South Wales, Australia. Scores on the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS)
were compared between those participants who were engaged in paid employment
and those who were not. Results: The results revealed that there was no difference
in total recovery scores between those who worked and those who did
not work. This finding indicated that higher recovery scores were not associated
with participants who were employed. Also contrary to expectations, the results
showed that workers scored lower than non-workers on the RAS factor described
as "reliance on others" and there was a trend towards significance in the same
direction on the factor "willingness to ask for help." Conclusions and Implications
for Practice: Further research needs to be conducted to determine if the differences
between workers and non-workers on the above factors represent a personal
variable such as independence or self-determination that is associated with
individuals with psychiatric disabilities that are engaged in employment.
Rehabilitation interventions aimed at increasing levels of employment in people
with psychiatric disabilities could improve recovery and employment outcomes
through focusing on these personal variables.