Daniel C. Lustig

The Relationship between Working Alliance and Rehabilitation Outcomes.

A key factor in the development of an effective relationship between the client and counselor is the development of a strong working alliance (Bordin, 1979). Although considerable research has investigated the impact of the working alliance on counseling outcomes, no research has considered the effect of this alliance between rehabilitation counselors and clients within the context of the state—federal rehabilitation system. This study used existing survey data on 2,732 vocational rehabilitation clients during fiscal year 1999—2000. Results indicated that (a) employed clients had a stronger working alliance than unemployed clients, and (b) the working alliance is related to the clients perception of future employment prospects and his or her satisfaction with the current job. Implications for rehabilitation counselors are discussed.

Causal Relationships Between Poverty and Disability

Although research suggests why disability may cause poverty, it is not well understood why poverty may cause disability. This article presents the Poverty Disability Model, which includes four groups of factors that increase the risk that poverty will cause disability and chronic health problems. Rehabilitation interventions and counselor implications derived from the model are presented in addition to research.

The Adjustment Process for Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury The Effect of Perceived Premorbid Sense of Coherence

This study investigated the relationship between perceived changes in sense of coherence from pre- to postinjury and adjustment for a group of individuals with spinal cord injury. It was hypothesized that after a spinal cord injury, an individuals belief that he or she had significantly reduced his or her sense of coherence would be associated with reduced adjustment. Forty-eight individuals with spinal cord injury completed Antonovskys Sense of Coherence Scale and Livneh and Antonaks Reactions to Impairment and Disability Inventory. Results indicated a positive relationship between adjustment and strengthened sense of coherence. Rehabilitation counselor implications are discussed.

The Relationship Between Working Alliance and Therapeutic Outcomes for Individuals with Mild Mental Retardation

Few studies have addressed the efficacy of counseling and psychotherapy for individuals with mild mental retardation, and no research has investigated the working alliance and psychotherapy outcomes for individuals with mental retardation. This study used existing survey data to examine the relationship between the level of working alliance and rehabilitation counseling outcomes for individuals with mild mental retardation. Results indicated a positive relationship between levels of working alliance and positive rehabilitation outcomes for people with mild mental retardation. This article examines effect sizes and discusses implications for rehabilitation counselors working with individuals with mild mental retardation.

Differentiation of three brain injury family types

The purpose of this study was to advance the research on brain injury families by differentiating between families with one of three family types. Participants were 76 primary caregivers of individuals with brain injuries recruited through the brain injury association of a Southern state in the US. Families were classified as Balanced (n = 33), Mid-range (n = 24), or Extreme (n = 19) type using the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales II (FACES II). Three two-way discriminant analyses were performed using eight variables to discriminate between the family types. Results indicated that the affective and cognitive functioning of the family members with the brain injuries, family adaptation, and primary caregiver age were the strongest factors that differentiated the three family types. These findings suggest that Balanced, Mid-range, and Extreme families are distinct subgroups within the brain injury family population. The results, thus, may be beneficial for improving the efficacy of family intervention following brain injury and facilitating the development of long-term family supports.

Quality Employment Outcomes: Benefits for Individuals with Disabilities.

A key aspect of quality employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities is receiving benefits similar to those expected by all employees. Access to employee benefits is often a barrier to finding a job for individuals with disabilities. This study compared access to health insurance, paid vacation, paid sick leave, and retirement of full-time employed individuals with disabilities to access of workers in the general population. Results indicated that workers with disabilities had access at a lower rate than workers in the general population. Implications for rehabilitation counselors are discussed.

An empirical typology of career thoughts of individuals with disabilities

Dysfunctional career thoughts can have a negative impact on the career decision-making process and an individuals career and vocational development. Individuals with disabilities may be particularly vulnerable to dysfunctional career thoughts because limited access to the labor market provides limited opportunity to make vocational decisions and to understand the impact of functional limitations on career decisions. The purpose of this study was to identify groups of individuals with disabilities based on their measured levels of dysfunctional career thoughts. This nonexperimental descriptive study investigated the career thoughts of 132 individuals with a diagnosis based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—Fourth Edition (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) who received job placement services from a community-based job placement program. Cluster analysis of the Career Thoughts Inventory (Sampson, Peterson, Lenz, Reardon, & Saunders, 1996) identified three groups of participants: (a) those with dysfunctional thoughts, (b) those with external conflict, and (c) those with productive thoughts. The results suggest differences between the clustered groups and two comparison groups.

Profiles of Respondents Who Respond Inconsistently to Positively- and Negatively-Worded Items on Rating Scales.

Many instruments, especially Likert-type scales, contain both positively- and negatively-worded items within the same scale (i.e. mixed-item format). A major reason for this practice appears to be to discourage response sets from emerging. Using this format also helps the analyst to detect response sets that occur in data sets, and thus eliminate them from subsequent analyses. However, some psychometricians seriously question the use of mixed-item formats, positing that positively- and negatively-worded items within a scale are not measuring the same underlying trait. Limited evidence has suggested that certain individuals are more predisposed to providing differential response patterns when responding to a mixed-item format scale. However, to date, only a few characteristics of these differential-responding individuals have been identified. Thus, the purpose of this present study was to extend this line of research. Specifically, the researchers analysed responses to several scales utilizing mixed-item formats. For example, on canonical correlation analysis, a sample of 185 students revealed a relationship between degree of differential responses between positively- and negatively-worded items on three 6-item measures of foreign language anxiety (i.e. input, processing, and output anxiety) and several dimensions of self-perception, study skills, and locus of control. Implications of all findings are discussed.

The Impact of Sense of Coherence on Career Thoughts for Individuals with Disabilities.

This study examined the effect of sense of coherence on the career thought process. Sense of coherence is the global orientation that the world is comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful. A sample of individuals with disabilities completed the Sense of Coherence Scale and the Career Thoughts Inventory (CTI). Univariate tests indicate a large relationship between Sense of Coherence Scale scores and CTI—total scores and CTI—Decision Making Confusion subscale and CTI—External Conflict subscale scores and a medium relationship between Sense of Coherence Scale scores and CTI—Commitment Anxiety subscale scores. Univariate tests indicate large and medium relationships between Sense of Coherence Scale scores and individual subscale scores. The implications of the study are discussed.

Examining the Moderating Effect of Disability Status on the Relationship Between Trauma Symptomatology and Select Career Variables

In the current study, the authors examined whether the influence of trauma symptomatology on select career variables differs based on disability status. A total of 131 college students and 81 individuals with disabilities completed the Career Thoughts Inventory, My Vocational Situation, Developmental Work Personality Scale, and L.A. Symptom Checklist. The authors then conducted multiple regressions to examine interaction terms. These terms were not significant, suggesting that the influences of trauma clusters did not differ according to groups. Disability status made the largest unique contribution on all career variables. Among the trauma symptom clusters, Avoidance/Numbness had the broadest impact, with unique contributions on all of the career variables except CTI-CA.