Joseph Pfaller

Differential vocational rehabilitation service patterns related to the job retention and job placement needs of people with diabetes

BACKGROUND: It is clear that the chronic progression of diabetes, as well as other socio-environmental factors, act as barriers to individuals seeking to maintain employment. Long-term employment outcomes of people with diabetes can be improved by providing customized interventions to help individuals retain their current employment. OBJECTIVE: This investigation examined differential vocational rehabilitation (VR) service patterns between two groups of clients with diabetes, those who were employed at the time of application and those who were unemployed. METHODS: Quantitative descriptive research design using multiple discriminant analysis (MDS). Participants included 5,427 individuals with diabetes whose VR cases were closed in Fiscal Year 2011. RESULTS: MDS revealed that the employed applicants group had higher propensities than the unemployed applicants group to receive assessment, diagnosis and treatment, counseling and guidance, rehabilitation technology, and on-the-job supports as part of the VR process. The unemployed applicants group had higher propensities to receive occupational/vocational training, job readiness, job placement, and other services. CONCLUSION: These differential service patterns suggest that the client’s employment status at the inception of his or her VR program is taken into close consideration during the case planning and goal-setting phases of the VR process. Implications for future research and VR service delivery are discussed.

Core Self-Evaluations as a Mediator between Functional Disability and Life Satisfaction in College Students with Disabilities Majoring in Science and Technology.

Purpose: To examine the mediational effect of core self-evaluations (CSE) on the relationship between functional disability and life satisfaction. Methods: A quantitative descriptive design using multiple regression analysis. The participants were 97 college students with disabilities receiving services through Hunter College’s Minority-Disability Alliance (MIND Alliance) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Results: CSE was a partial mediator between functional disability and life satisfaction. After controlling for CSE, functional disability was no longer a significant predictor of life satisfaction. Conclusions: CSE partially mediated the impact of functional disability on life satisfaction. Future research should explore the development of interventions to increase CSE to reduce the effect of disability and to improve life satisfaction and employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

Effect of college or university training on earnings of people with disabilities: A case control study

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of college or university training on earnings of individuals with disabilities receiving services through the public vocational rehabilitation system. METHODS: A non-experimental case-control study design. Data for 178,290 individuals closed as successfully rehabilitation in fiscal year 2011 were extracted from the Rehabilitation Services Administration Case Service Report (RSA-911) database. RESULTS: Propensity scores were estimated based on demographic variables using the classification and regression tree (CART) method, which yielded six homogeneous subgroups, ranging from high propensity to received college or university training as a vocational rehabilitation intervention to low propensity to receive such service. Individuals who received college/university training had higher weekly earnings than those who did not, and had the greatest benefit for young adults; White, Asian, or Native American women with physical impairments; and people with mental impairments. CONCLUSION: College or university training should be considered as a viable and beneficial option to improve employment outcomes and job quality for individuals with disabilities.

Measurement Structure of the Trait Hope Scale in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the measurement structure of the Trait Hope Scale (THS) among individuals with spinal cord injury. Design: Confirmatory factor analysis and reliability and validity analyses were performed. Participants: 242 individuals with spinal cord injury. Results: Results support the two-factor measurement model for the THS with agency and pathways thinking positively associated with hope-related constructs such as self-efficacy, self-esteem, disability acceptance, and life satisfaction in the predicted direction. Conclusions: The use of the THS among individuals with disabilities is warranted for rehabilitation research and practice.

Social-Cognitive Predictors of Readiness to Use Evidence-Based Practice: A Survey of Community-Based Rehabilitation Practitioners

Community-based rehabilitation organizations (CBRO) play an important role in providing rehabilitation and support services to individuals with disabilities. Increased utilization of CBROs by state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies requires a better understanding of how evidence-based practices (EBPs) are used in CBROs. The aim of the study was to examine the readiness of CBRO practitioners to implement EBP, based on social-cognitive predictors of confidence in knowledge and use of EBP, expected benefits of EBP, and perceived barriers and supports to use EBP. A total of 187 CBRO practitioners were surveyed using the Evidence-Based Practice CBRO (EBP-CBRO) survey. Participants were in moderate agreement that they were ready to implement EBP. They were moderately confident in their knowledge about EBP, in high agreement about the expected improvements by using EBP, and perceived low barriers and moderate supports to implementing EBP. The social-cognitive predictors accounted for 55% of the variance in readiness to implement EBP, with knowledge about EBP as the most significant predictor of readiness to use EBP. Social-cognitive theory is a useful framework for exploring CBRO practitioners’ attitudes toward and knowledge of EBP. CBRO practitioners are in moderate agreement about readiness to use EBP. Improving practitioner confidence to use EBP might be the best means of increasing utilization.

Psychometric Validation of the Multiple Sclerosis Environmental Supports Scale: A Brief Report:

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the measurement structure of the Multiple Sclerosis Environmental Supports Scale (MSESS) with 248 individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Exploratory factor analysis yielded three reliable factors (health and mental health services; rehabilitation, social, and support services; and independent living supports). The MSESS appears to be a promising rehabilitation assessment tool for individuals with MS, one that can be used by rehabilitation counselors to evaluate environmental support factors in their interview, assessment, and rehabilitation planning protocols.

Person-environment contextual factors as mediators for the relationship between symptom cluster and employment outcome in multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms often make it difficult for individuals with MS to stay at work or return to work. It is important to understand the relationship between symptom clusters and employment. Person-environment (P-E) contextual factors such as core self-evaluations (CSE) and social support have been found to be effective mediators for the relationship between disability and participation in rehabilitation research and may be able to reduce the adverse impact of MS symptom cluster on employment outcome of people with MS. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the mediation effect of CSE and social support on the relationship between symptom cluster and employment in MS. METHOD: Quantitative descriptive research design using two simple mediation analyses. 154 persons with multiple sclerosis participated in this study. RESULTS: Results show that symptom cluster, CSE, and social support were significantly related to employment. Both CSE and social support were significant mediators of the relationship between symptom cluster and employment, with CSE a stronger mediator than social support. CONCLUSIONS: Managing MS symptoms and increasing CSE and social support will reduce the adverse impact of MS symptom cluster on employment outcome. Therefore, CSE and social support can be viewed as protective factors for maintaining employment in MS. These results provide support for the use of positive psychology interventions by vocational rehabilitation counselors working with individuals with multiple sclerosis.

A Psychometric Validation of the Employers’ Stigmatizing Attitudes Toward Cancer Survivors Scale

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the measurement structure of the Employers’ Stigmatizing Attitudes Toward Cancer Survivors Scale (ESATPD-Cancer Scale). Methods A quantitative descriptive design using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). One hundred and seventy-seven Taiwanese human resources (HR) professionals participated in this study. Results EFA revealed a one-factor measurement structure accounting for 50% of the total variance. We conducted a CFA to confirm the one-factor structure; after two pairs of error terms were correlated, the re-specified model was found to fit the data adequately: χ2/df = 1.69, GFI = 0.97, CFI = 0.98, and RMSEA = 0.06. Internal consistency reliability coefficient (Cronbach’s alpha) for the ESATPD-Cancer Scale was computed to be 0.80. In addition, stigmatizing attitudes were found to be negatively associated with HR professionals’ willingness to hire cancer survivors. Conclusions The results of this study support a one-factor measurement structure for the ESATPD-Cancer Scale in a sample of HR professionals in Taiwan. Findings also support a relationship between ESATPD-Cancer Scale scores and HR professionals’ willingness to hire cancer survivors, demonstrating support for the construct validity of the scale.

A Psychometric Validation of the Internal and External Motivation to Respond without Prejudice toward People with Disabilities Scale.

Objective: To determine the factorial validity of the Internal and External Motivation to Respond without Prejudice toward People with Disabilities Scale (D-IMS/EMS). Design: A quantitative descriptive design using factor analysis. Participants: 233 rehabilitation counseling and rehabilitation services students. Results: Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis provided evidence for the 2-factor structure of the D-IMS/EMS. The internal motivation and external motivation factors were found to correlate with the Attitudes toward Disabled Persons—Form A and the Contact with Disabled Persons Scale in the predicted direction. Conclusions: The D-IMS/EMS appears to have sufficient reliability and validity; the 2-factor solution was found to be acceptable. Further research with other groups of participants is needed.