Employment Support Needs of People with Schizophrenia: A Scoping Study

Abstract

Purpose People with schizophrenia continue to encounter barriers to employment acquisition. The aim of this scoping study was to identify and synthesize existent evidence about the employment support needs of people diagnosed with schizophrenia. Methods Five relevant databases were used: CINAHL, Medline, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, and Web of Science. Additional material of potential interest was identified through the references of the retrieved articles. A manual search for publications from the 3 months immediately prior to the electronic search was carried out in specialized journals. Searches covered the period between 1945 and August 30, 2017 without language restrictions. Two approaches were used to display the data: descriptive analysis and thematic analysis. Results Twelve articles met the inclusion criteria, most of which discussed experiences of participation in individual placement and support programmes. Thematic analysis identified four support needs: developing skills, vocational intervention, support and encouragement, and a supportive work environment. Conclusions There is a paucity of literature examining and evaluating employment support needs from the perspectives of people with schizophrenia. Future research must look beyond individual factors affecting employment outcomes to consider societal attitudes, stigma and work-related legislation.

Keywords: Employer; Employment specialist; Individual placement and support; Paid job; Work-related skills.