Work-related subjective experiences among community residents with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a self-report scale of subjective experiences of illness perceived to impact on employment functioning, as an alternative to a diagnostic perspective, for anticipating the vocational assistance needs of people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders.


METHODS
A repeated measures pilot study (n(1) = 26, n(2) = 21) of community residents with schizophrenia identified a set of work-related subjective experiences perceived to impact on employment functioning. Items with the best psychometric properties were applied in a 12 month longitudinal survey of urban residents with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (n(1) = 104; n(2) = 94; n(3) = 94).


RESULTS
Construct validity, factor structure, responsiveness, internal consistency, stability, and criterion validity investigations produced favourable results. Work-related subjective experiences provide information about the intersection of the person, the disorder, and expectations of employment functioning, which suggest new opportunities for vocational professionals to explore and discuss individual assistance needs.


CONCLUSIONS
Further psychometric investigations of test-retest reliability, discriminant and predictive validity, and research applications in supported employment and vocational rehabilitation, are recommended. Subject to adequate psychometric properties, the new measure promises to facilitate exploring: individuals' specific subjective experiences; how each is perceived to contribute to employment restrictions; and the corresponding implications for specialized treatment, vocational interventions and workplace accommodations.
Waghorn
Geoff
G
Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park, Centre for Mental Health, Locked Bag 500, Richlands, Queensland 4077, Australia. geoff_waghorn@qcmhr.up.edu.au
Chant
David
D
King
Robert
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004651:Employment; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology