Affiliations: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA | Community Futures Foundation, Richmond, VA, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Janet P. Niemeier, Ph.D., ABPP, Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, North Hospital, First Floor, Room 181B, P.O. Box 980661, Richmond, VA 23298-0661, USA. Tel.: +1 804 628 1633; Fax: +1 804 828 5074; E-mail: jniemeier@mcvh-vcu.edu
Abstract: Unemployment rates continue to hover at 39% for persons with brain injury because of persistent neurobehavioral deficits that limit their employability. This paper reports findings of a prospective, repeated measures design and controlled trial of a 20-session, manualized, employability-enhancing intervention for community-dwelling persons with acquired brain injury attending six work-centered clubhouses. A total of 71 clubhouse members were assigned, in order of their signing up to participate in the study, to either receive the 20 intervention sessions or to be in a waiting control group. Employment and productivity status were measured pre- and post-treatment. Analyses revealed modestly significant treatment effects for employment status and productivity. The program also appears to have a positive effect on job stability. These results were moderated by whether the participant had disability income and their ratings, by clubhouse staff, of their employability. Persons who had disability income and had high employability ratings from staff were less likely to be employed following treatment. There was not a significant difference between treatment and control participants in work-related knowledge, employability ratings, or a measure of effort in the rest of the clubhouse program activities.
