| Citation: |
Chapin, M.H., & Holbert, D. (2012). Employment at closure is associated with enhanced quality of life and subjective well-being for persons with spinal cord injuries.
Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 54
(1),
6-14.
|
| Title: |
Employment at closure is associated with enhanced quality of life and subjective well-being for persons with spinal cord injuries |
| Authors: |
Chapin, M.H., & Holbert, D. |
| Year: |
2012 |
|
Journal/Publication:
|
Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin |
| Publisher: |
Hammill Institute on Disabilities |
| DOI: |
https://doi.org/10.1177/0034355210367685
|
| Full text: |
http://proxy.library.vcu.edu/login?url=http://rcb.sagepub.com/conte...
|
| Peer-reviewed? |
Yes
|
| NIDILRR-funded? |
No
|
|
Research design:
|
Survey research
|
| Background: |
Quality of life (QOL) is a measure often used in rehabilitation counseling as the ultimate target variable for individuals with disabilities. QOL outcomes in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) have been the subject of much research. The research has shown that employment outcomes among individuals with SCI has a significant impact on QOL. Vocational rehabilitation services have the opportunity to improve QOL by assisting individuals in obtaining employment following a SCI. |
|
Purpose:
|
The purpose of this study was to assess whether individuals with SCI that have been rehabilitated into employment differ in QOL measures from those individuals that have not been rehabilitated into employment. |
|
Study sample: |
Sixty-seven participants recruited from a vocational rehabilitation services agency in the southeastern United States took part in the study. Thirty-one participants were unemployed after receiving rehabilitation services and 36 were employed. |
|
Control or comparison condition:
|
QOL and sense of well-being were the comparison conditions. |
|
Data collection and analysis:
|
Participants filled out a questionnaire with demographic information. To determine the target measures participants completed the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and the Sense of Well-Being Inventory (SWBI). The Mann-Whitney independent samples test and Pearson chi-square tests were used to compare the subgroups (employed vs. unemployed). |
|
Findings:
|
The successfully rehabilitated, employed individuals had higher scores for both QOL and sense of well-being. |
|
Conclusions:
|
Quality of life can be used as an outcome measure in vocational rehabilitation services. |
