Affiliations: Research Institute for Health and Medical Professions,
Ono Academic College, Or-Yehuda, Israel | Ami Association for the Treatment of People with
Intellectual Disabilities, Be'er- Sheva, Israel | Occupational Therapy Services, Jerusalem Mental
Health, Center Eitanim – Kfar Shaul, Israel
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Noomi Katz, PhD, OTR, Research
Institute for the Health & Medical Professions, Ono Academic College, 32
HaHaroshet st., Or-Yehuda 60375, Israel. Tel.: +972 3 5311924; Fax: +972 3
6342578; E-mail: noomi.katz@ono.ac.il
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: The "Coffee Stands" project was developed to provide a
work place where individuals with long term mental illness can receive job
training within the community. It is similar to a supported employment program,
except that it does not provide individual job placement services. The
objective of the study was to describe the participants who worked at the
"coffee stands", with respect to their participation in occupations, functional
cognition, executive functions and awareness, perception of their quality of
life (QoL), satisfaction and self esteem. Moreover, the study aimed at
examining whether changes occurred in these variables during the 6-month period
in which participants worked at the coffee stands. METHODS: Participants included 44 people with chronic mental
illness; 27 men and 17 women, mean age 43.43 (SD=9.02); mean years of education
11.81 (SD=1.83); mean age of illness onset 27.72 (SD=11.12) and mean number of
hospitalizations 3.27 (SD=2.64). All signed an informed consent to participate
in the study. A battery of eight instruments measuring the various variables
was administered at two points in time; at the beginning of the work at the
coffee stands and 6 months later. RESULTS: Indicated that the training was successful and that
participants were able to maintain an average 3 hours of work daily,
demonstrating an improvement in their perception of their ability to work. In
the area of planning, they needed structure, suggesting some difficulties in
executive functions, but they seemed to be aware of their difficulties. After 6
months, participants showed improvements in health related measures of QoL and
satisfaction, but not in self esteem. CONCLUSIONS: The findings strengthen the premise that people coping
with an emotional disorder place great importance on working, are able to work
and derive satisfaction from their work.
Keywords: Mental health, schizophrenia, participation, supported employment, work
