title: Predictors of Acquisition of Competitive Employment for People Enrolled in Supported Employment Programs.
abstract: This study aims at assessing the relative contribution of employment specialist competencies working in supported employment (SE) programs and client variables in determining the likelihood of obtaining competitive employment. A total of 489 persons with a severe mental illness and 97 employment specialists working in 24 SE programs across three Canadian provinces were included in the study. Overall, 43% of the sample obtained competitive work. Both client variables and employment specialist competencies, while controlling for the quality of SE programs implementation, predicted job acquisition. Multilevel analyses further indicated that younger client age, shorter duration of unemployment, and client use of job search strategies, as well as the working alliance perceived by the employment specialist, were the strongest predictors of competitive employment for people with severe mental illness, with 51% of variance explained. For people with severe mental illness seeking employment, active job search behaviors, relational abilities, and employment specialist competencies are central contributors to acquisition of competitive employment.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Education and Pedagogy-Career Counseling, Université du Québec à Montréal; †Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Centre de recherche de l'Institut Universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal; ‡Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université Laval, Québec; §Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, and ∥Department of Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto; ¶Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Université Laval, Québec; #Department of Community Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Longueuil; **Fonds de recherche du Québec-Santé (FRQS), Montréal; and ††Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corbière
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lecomte
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reinharz
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kirsh
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Goering
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Menear
authors.forename: Djamal
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berbiche
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Genest
authors.forename: Elliot M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Goldner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016832:Employment, Supported / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D028642:Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*