Cognitive functioning and employment among people with schizophrenia in vocational rehabilitation.
BACKGROUND
Employment is central to recovery in schizophrenia, but little attention has been paid to its relationship with cognitive functioning.


OBJECTIVE
This cross-sectional study adds to the knowledge base of relationships between cognitive functioning and gaining competitive employment, work hours per week, and monthly income among people with schizophrenia in vocational rehabilitation. It also examines which area of cognitive function may be decisive for gaining employment.


METHODS
Thirty-nine vocational rehabilitation participants were administered a cognitive battery based on MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery. Socio-demographic, clinical, and vocational data were gathered and analyzed with nonparametric statistics.


RESULTS
Individuals with competitive employment differed from those without competitive employment in attention and psychomotor speed, delayed verbal recall, immediate visual recall, and planning, reasoning, and problem-solving. Higher scores in immediate and delayed verbal recall and planning, reasoning, and problem-solving correlated with more work hours per week and higher income. Immediate visual recall was related to higher income. Higher scores in planning, reasoning, and problem-solving was an indicator of competitive employment (OR = 1.48).


CONCLUSIONS
Higher order cognitive functioning of planning, reasoning, and problem-solving may have a central role in gaining employment. The findings should be considered in compensation for or improving cognitive functions for vocational rehabilitation participants.
Department of Health Sciences/Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Annika
A
Lexén
Clinical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Medicine, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Caisa
C
Hofgren
Department of Psychology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Richard
R
Stenmark
Department of Health Sciences/Work and Mental Health, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Ulrika
U
Bejerholm
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D011340:Problem Solving; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013997:Time Factors
Psychiatric disability; return to work; severe mental illness; vocational rehabilitation