“To fill the emptiness”: The importance of work in life history narratives of older adults with schizophrenia-spectrum diagnoses

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 556-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia P Ogden
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life History ◽  
Vocational Rehabilitation ◽  
Psychiatric Rehabilitation ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽  
Vocational Goals ◽  
History Narratives ◽  
Serious Mental Illnesses

Objective: This study’s purpose was to develop an understanding of the importance and meaning of vocational histories, present-time employment status, and vocational goals for older adults who were in treatment for schizophrenia-spectrum diagnoses. Methods: The theory of cumulative adversity and advantage focused 35 semistructured interviews and 43 field observation points that developed life history narratives of seven older adults in treatment for schizophrenia-spectrum diagnoses. Thematic narrative analysis was the primary analytic strategy. Results: Five shared themes within the life history narratives connected to vocational histories: “Purpose is provided by work,” “identity in work,” “perseverance toward value-based vocational goals,” “the importance of an income,” and “illness symptoms and their treatment disrupted work.” Discussion: Findings connect to practice implications for vocational programs for persons with serious mental illnesses, suggesting that vocational services for older adults could be rehabilitative and that vocational assessments should be holistic and values oriented. Psychiatric rehabilitation programs developed specifically for older adults might benefit from the inclusion of vocational rehabilitation options that do not rule out competitive employment. Social workers must be aware of bias in the profession toward persons on the basis of age and serious mental illnesses. Conclusion: In line with current vocational rehabilitation literature, the study concludes that psychiatric rehabilitation treatment that inhibits work can have unintended negative consequences for all persons with serious mental illnesses. Those negative consequences have to potential extend into later life challenges that range from identity challenges to challenges in day-to-day survival.

scholarly journals Barriers to and Facilitators of Vocational Development for Black Young Adults with Serious Mental Illnesses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Delman ◽  
Leslie B. Adams
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
Black People ◽  
Ecological Model ◽  
Psychiatric Rehabilitation ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Black Communities ◽  
Vocational Goals ◽  
Serious Mental Illnesses

Objective: Black young adults with serious mental illnesses (SMI) have low rates of employment and school completion. Racial disparities exist in the delivery of vocational services, with Black people less likely to be screened in, and if screened in less likely to receive job training. This qualitative exploratory study examined how Black young adults with SMI perceive the barriers and facilitators to achieving their vocational goals. Method: Our conceptual model for this study is the Social-Ecological Model, which contains four domains of analysis (intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, and societal), informed by Critical Race Theory. We completed semi-structured, qualitative interviews with 28 Black young adults with SMI. We analyzed data using qualitative content and inductive analyses. Results: Numerous respondents were experiencing racial discrimination in their vocational pursuits and their lives overall, and had doubts about achieving vocational success in racially imbalanced environments. Facilitating their vocational growth was trusting relationships with non-judgmental and understanding vocational counselors who provided supports reflecting client preferences. As college students, respondents benefited from the presence and accessibility of Black faculty and students. As employees, they valued workplace supervisors who provided direct support and feedback. Conclusions: Black young adults with SMI face high and racialized barriers to pursing work and education at multiple socioecological levels. The field of psychiatric rehabilitation should prepare vocational counselors to understand and address the needs and expressed preferences of Black young adults with SMI. Also called for is research, centered on and directed by Black communities, on the effectiveness of race-conscious vocational practices.

Enhancing Wellbeing for Older Adults With Serious Mental Illnesses: Co-Producing a Positive Psychology Course With Certified Older Adult Peer Specialists

2021 ◽  
pp. 104973232199204
Author(s):  
Lydia P. Ogden
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Subjective Experiences ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Peer Specialists ◽  
Psychology Course ◽  
Serious Mental Illnesses

Compared to peers in the general population, persons aging with serious mental illnesses (SMIs) face physical health disparities, increased isolation, and decreased subjective experiences of quality of life and wellbeing. To date, limited intervention research focuses on addressing specific needs of persons aging with SMIs and no interventions targeted for that population are informed by the theory and science of positive psychology. With the aim of co-producing a positive-psychology-based program to enhance wellbeing for older adults with SMIs, the author held a series of focus groups and individual interviews with six certified older adult peer specialists. Analysis of the data developed in-depth insights into helpful processes, values, and priorities of individuals aging with SMIs, as well as the creation of a wellbeing-enhancing course curriculum.

scholarly journals Family contact and health status among older adults with serious mental illnesses.

2011 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 295-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly A. Aschbrenner ◽  
Kim T. Mueser ◽  
Stephen J. Bartels ◽  
Sarah I. Pratt
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Serious Mental Illnesses ◽  
Family Contact

Adjustment to community residential settings over time among older adults with serious mental illnesses.

2006 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 189-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine Larivière ◽  
Isabelle Gélinas ◽  
Barbara Mazer ◽  
Beverlea Tallant ◽  
Isabelle Paquette
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Residential Settings ◽  
Serious Mental Illnesses ◽  
Over Time

Prospectively identifying adults with serious mental illness at risk for poor physical health: The role of person reported outcomes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Limor Hochman ◽  
Galia S Moran ◽  
Marc Gelkopf ◽  
David ROE ◽  
Efrat Shadmi
Keyword(s):  
Physical Health ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Psychiatric Rehabilitation ◽  
Patient Reported Outcome Measures ◽  
Patient Reported Outcome ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Poor Physical Health ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Self Reports ◽  
Serious Mental Illnesses

Abstract Objective Persons with serious mental illnesses are at increased risk for co-occurring physical comorbidities. Patient-reported outcome measures are increasingly used in routine assessments of persons with serious mental illnesses, yet the relation of patient-reported outcome measures to physical health outcomes has not been comprehensively investigated. We examined the association between patient-reported outcome measures and self-reported physical health at 1-year follow-up. Design A retrospective cohort study. Setting Data were collected as part of the Israeli Psychiatric Rehabilitation Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement program in Israel. Participants A total of 2581 psychiatric rehabilitation service users assessed between April 2013 and January 2016. Main Outcome Measures Self-reports on two consecutive years of physical health dichotomized as poor versus good. Results More than one-third of participants reported having poor physical health. Multivariate regression analysis showed that quality of life (odds ratio [OR] = 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.60–0.84) and lack of effect of symptoms on functioning (OR = 0.81; 95%CI: 0.74–0.89) predict subsequent physical health, controlling for all other factors. Compared to a multivariate model with personal characteristics and self-reports on physical health at baseline (Model A), the model which also included patient-reported outcome measures (Model B) showed slightly better discrimination (c-statistic: 0.74 vs. 0.76, respectively). Conclusions These results suggest that patient-reported outcome measures contribute to the prediction of poor physical health and thus can be useful as an early screening tool for people with serious mental illnesses living in the community, who are at risk of physical health problems.

Gender and Treatment Comparisons in a Cohort Of Patients with Psychiatric Diagnoses

2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (8) ◽  
pp. 1073-1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommy Nordén ◽  
Bo Ivarsson ◽  
Ulf Malm ◽  
Torsten Norlander
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Satisfaction ◽  
Life Quality ◽  
Care Program ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Outpatient Clinics ◽  
Psychiatric Diagnoses ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽  
Treatment Comparisons ◽  
Serious Mental Illnesses

Our purpose in this study was to make group comparisons of the Swedish psychiatric patient cohort called Quality Star. The present study included 1,376 patients, 753 men and 623 women, recruited from 9 outpatient clinics over the space of 6 years. All participants had serious mental illnesses, of which patients with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder were the majority. The 4 aspects studied were consumer satisfaction, life quality, social function, and symptoms. The study had 2 main outcomes: (a) women were more satisfied with the health care and had better functioning than men, (b) patients treated according to the Integrated Care Program had better functioning and less severe symptoms than other patients. The differences between diagnosis groups were as expected.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document