Factors associated with early attrition from psychosocial rehabilitation programs

Abstract

This study aimed to identify characteristics associated with early dropout from a vocationally oriented psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) program for clients with severe mental illness. The sample consisted of 194 individuals who participated in a study comparing a supported employment program to a stepwise vocational program. Study participants who dropped out of the PSR program within 6 months of study entry were compared to those who continued for at least 6 months. Dropouts had poorer competitive employment outcomes than those who continued. Participants with at least a high school diploma, never married, with a schizophrenia-spectrum diagnosis, and those assigned to a stepwise model of vocational rehabilitation were more likely to dropout. The implications of these findings are discussed.