Situational assessment in psychiatric rehabilitation: A reappraisal

Issue title: International Perspectives on Implementing Supported Employment for People with Severe Mental Illness

Article type: Research Article

Authors: McGuire, Alan B.^; | Bond, Gary R. | Evans, Jovier D. | Lysaker, Paul H.^; | Kim, Hea Won

Affiliations: Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), IN, USA | ACT Center of Indiana, IN, USA | Geriatrics Research Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Rockville, MD, USA | Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA | Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis IN, USA | School of Social Work, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA

Note: [] Address for correspondence: Alan B. McGuire, M.S., Department of Psychology, 204 N. Blackford St., LD 124, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. Tel.: +1 317 278 5689; Fax: +1 317 274 6756; E-mail: abmcguir@iupui.edu

Abstract: Background: One widely-used approach in the vocational rehabilitation field is the situational work assessment, in which staff rate general worker behaviors relevant to any employment setting. The Work Behavioral Inventory (WBI) is a standardized situational assessment developed specifically for individuals with severe mental illness (SMI). Originally developed in a sheltered workshop environment, its application in community settings has not been studied. We examined the predictive validity for the WBI in a range of community and agency settings. Methods: Using a prospective longitudinal study, we assessed 52 clients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders newly enrolled in a vocational program at a psychiatric rehabilitation agency. Participants were followed for nine months and assessed every two months on the WBI. Findings: WBI ratings were unrelated to employment outcomes in the full sample at nine months. However, among participants who obtained paid employment at some time during follow-up, WBI ratings were positively associated with total wages earned, weeks worked, and paid hours worked. Conclusions: Situational assessment is a useful method for predicting employment outcomes for individuals with schizophrenia who obtain work. However, its utility in predicting initial job acquisition is uncertain. In addition, the limitations in the use of situation assessments in community employment settings raise questions about how it would be best adapted in programs implementing evidence-based supported employment.

Keywords: Prediction of employment, severe mental illness, situational assessment

Journal: Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 49-55, 2007