Graduate Program
Aging Studies
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Semester of Degree Completion
2013
Thesis Director
Lisa Moyer
Thesis Committee Member
Richard Wilkinson
Thesis Committee Member
Lucy Campanis
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine which factors help individuals with mental disabilities stay employed. Previous research has documented how to help people with mental health disabilities get back to work, but very little on how to keep them employed after they have obtained a job. Obtaining a job is only part of the story; it is critical to examine how to support individuals with mental health disabilities once they are working so that they can become self-sufficient. The current study examined the mental health records of patients in a mental health facility in a rural Illinois county in order to reveal the factors that support persons with mental illness while they are still in the workforce. The factors that were studied included supportive social supports, impairments in daily living, DSM-IV diagnoses, and health insurance status. Three hundred and fifty-two participants met the criteria for the study and the findings revealed that the majority of employed participants had peer support, lacked serious impairments in daily living, and had access to health insurance. The type of mental health disability was also explored to see which type of diagnosis was the most common among the participants who were employed. The findings showed that depression, bipolar, and adjustment disorders were the most common type of diagnoses among the participants. This implies that these types of diagnoses are more conducive to working full or part time with a mental health disorder. This research provided an important foundation for practitioners, policymakers, and other professionals who work with individuals with mental health disabilities.
Recommended Citation
Arthur, Penny A., "Factors That Support Individuals With Mental Disabilities In Employment" (2013). Masters Theses. 1160.
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/1160
