Employment and support for rehabilitated clients: Issues in career transitions

Abstract

This study hopes to measure psychiatric rehabilitated clients on their level of internal resources like their readiness, confidence, control, social support and independence. The three key questions to find out more about the internal resources were: To what extend did the five career transition factors (readiness, confidence, personal control, support and independence) explain rehabilitated clients’ transition to work, how did the scales on the modified version of the Career Transition Inventory, 1994 (CTI) correlate with one another, what were some of the prevailing and common trends or themes specifically surrounding their present influences, future anticipations and expectations when they go through a job transition?<br><br>The Career Transition Inventory developed by Heppner, Multon, and Johnston (1994) modified by Wong Sing Chee for the Singapore version were administered to 50 participants diagnosed with a mental illness by mental health practitioners in Singapore. All of the participants had undergone rehabilitation at a local residential psychiatric rehabilitation centre for at least 6 months. It measured on the 5 scales of readiness, confidence, personal control, perceived social support and independence in making a career transition. Results revealed that the average score of the participants were low in all the 5 scales. Using the Pearson’s correlation, the study also found significant positive inter-correlations between all the 5 scales except between the scales of confidence and readiness. Relatively higher significant correlations were found for the scales of independence and confidence, support and personal control, independence and personal control.<br><br>An interview was conducted for participants who showed low independence in making a career transition in order to find out what were the common or prevailing trends of resources or influences they rely. The interview conducted showed that 63% of participants depended on other sources like allied mental health workers, friends in making these decisions, religious beliefs and situational circumstances when making decisions pertaining to career transitions apart from relying on family members. A second interview was conducted in order to find out specifically the types of common or prevailing support that clients anticipate from their future workplace. Participants who had high scores in perceived social support were interviewed to find out whom and how they hope to be supported. Results showed that 75% of the participants who perceived high social support valued and hoped for good support from their future co-workers in the transition process. Forms of good support were identified by participants as having good teamwork, sharing of ideas and helping out one another in times of needs.