The Effectiveness of a Vocational Rehabilitation Program Developed for Patients with Schizophrenia

Suh, Jinhwan; Lee, Manhong

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Despite growing interest in the area of vocational rehabilitation for persons with psychiatric disabilities, there exist few specialized vocational training facilities nor programs for schizophrenic patients in Korea. This study was intended to develop and evaluate a vocational rehabilitation program geared to improving personal factors identified to be the most significant barriers to schizophrenics' vocational rehabilitation.
METHODS
The effects of program were evaluated using experimental/control pretest-posttest design. An experimental group received the vocational training two sessions a week for three months and a control group received same day treatment except the vocational training.
RESULTS
The results indicated that the score of a training group was significantly increased compared to those of a control group on 'The assertive job hunting survey' and 'The job related problemsolving skill assessment'. The score of a training group on the PANSS was not significantly changed compared to those of a control group.
CONCLUSION
The data provide useful information about the potential role of the program on assertiveness in job hunting activity and job related problem-solving skill. Although the impact of training on symptom reduction was not significant, the program seemed to suggest an important intervention method for schizophrenic patients' rehabilitation.