Background Transition from school to work or post-secondary education is often challenging for youth with disabilities. Research has shown that youth with disabilities have lower high school graduation and employment rates than youth without disabilities. The majority of youth with disabilities have traditionally received transition services from schools. However, youth participation in these programs varies widely, as do the services …
Reducing the Need for Personal Supports Among Workers with Autism Using an iPod Touch as an Assistive Technology: Delayed Randomized Control Trial
Background Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have lower rates of competitive employment and post-secondary education than their peers with other types of disabilities. The challenges they face are often attributed to functional difficulties related to cognition, behavior, communication, and sensory perception. At the same time, they often offer characteristics perceived as valuable by employers, such as logical and mathematical …
Autism Spectrum Disorder and Supported Employment
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex, lifelong developmental disability that makes it difficult for individuals to understand social cues and facial expressions, express emotions appropriately, and adapt to change. Many people with ASD have difficulty forming relationships, using language, and interpreting and responding to the world around them. Although many people with ASD have the desire to work, an …
How VR Services Affect Employment Outcomes for Adults with Cerebral Palsy (CP)
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is considered the most common childhood disability. It can result in lifelong speech and language impairments, sensory deficits, intellectual disabilities, behavioral problems, and seizures. Rates of employment for people with CP in the United States are reported to be lower than for those with other types of disabilities. The purpose of this research was to learn how …
Bridging the Gap: A Comparative Assessment of Vocational Rehabilitation Agency Practices with Transition-Age Youth
Background Transition from school to work or post-secondary education is often challenging for youth with disabilities. Research has shown that youth with disabilities have lower high school graduation and employment rates than youth without disabilities. The majority of youth with disabilities have traditionally received transition services from schools. However, youth participation in these programs varies widely, as do the services …
Reducing the Need for Personal Supports Among Workers with Autism Using an iPod Touch as an Assistive Technology: Delayed Randomized Control Trial
Background Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have lower rates of competitive employment and post-secondary education than their peers with other types of disabilities. The challenges they face are often attributed to functional difficulties related to cognition, behavior, communication, and sensory perception. At the same time, they often offer characteristics perceived as valuable by employers, such as logical and mathematical …
Measuring Resilience: Use of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale for People With Spinal Cord Injuries
Resilience, in its simplest terms, results in people “bouncing back” from adversity and getting on with their lives. To infer resilience, two major steps must occur: (a) exposure to significant adversity (e.g., car accident), and (b) a positive developmental outcome afterwards (e.g., substantial psychosocial adjustment). The construct of resilience has recently been explored among individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). …
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law Releases Three New Fact Sheets on Supported Employment
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health recently published three fact sheets following up on their report, Getting to Work: Promoting Employment of People with Mental Illness. Getting to Work discusses the reasons why states should expand supported employment services to increase employment opportunities for people with mental illness. These fact sheets highlight three key reasons to increase the availability of supported employment that are discussed in more …
Traumatic Brain Injury and Depression
“We can see people who have brain injuries. Their lives have been disrupted and so forth, and our response to them can be like, I’d be depressed, too. And so we can kinda think, like, it’s normal to be depressed, and that could lead to a lack of treatment for depression.” Dr. Chuck Bombardier, University of Washington’s TBI Model System …
Using the Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale to Assist People with Spinal Cord Injuries
Individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) may experience functional limitations and societal barriers that affect their belief in their ability to perform daily activities and achieve goals. This belief, known as self-efficacy, helps individuals select goals and persist in attaining them. People with high self-efficacy tend to persevere in challenging circumstances, and people with low levels of self-efficacy are less …
How VR Services Affect Employment Outcomes for Adults with Cerebral Palsy (CP)
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is considered the most common childhood disability. It can result in lifelong speech and language impairments, sensory deficits, intellectual disabilities, behavioral problems, and seizures. Rates of employment for people with CP in the United States are reported to be lower than for those with other types of disabilities. The purpose of this research was to learn how …
Family and Teacher Support for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Ann Glang, PhD, principal investigator of the NIDRR-funded project “Development of a Web-Based Tool for Families Impacted by the Cognitive, Behavioral, and Social Challenges of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), is featured in several brainline.org videos that provide families and teachers with information to help them support children and adolescents with TBI. Find out more and access valuable training videos.
Evidence-Based Programs: An Overview
What does it means for a program to be evidence-based, examine the advantages and disadvantages of implementing EBPs, and find resources on disability-specific evidence-based programs that could apply to individual consumers? This research brief is #6 in the series “What Works, Wisconsin – Research to Practice Series” produced by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Wisconsin – Extension.
Emphasizing the Positive: The Role of Attachment Style, Social Support, and Coping on Happiness in Persons with Spinal Cord Injuries
Approximately 19%, or 56.7 million, of people in the United States have a disability that affects how they function in their daily activities. These individuals’ attachment styles, approaches to coping, and levels and types of social support have been identified as indicators of how well they will positively adjust to disability. The purpose of this research was to examine how …
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law Releases Three New Fact Sheets on Supported Employment
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health recently published three fact sheets following up on their report, Getting to Work: Promoting Employment of People with Mental Illness. Getting to Work discusses the reasons why states should expand supported employment services to increase employment opportunities for people with mental illness. These fact sheets highlight three key reasons to increase the availability of supported employment that are discussed in more …
The Benefit of Rating Physical Activity for Individuals with Severe Mental Illness
Individuals with severe mental illness are at greater risk for certain physical health problems, including type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, when compared to the general population. Approximately 50% of individuals with severe mental illness have at least one physical health problem, and nearly 35% have physical health problems that are undiagnosed or untreated. In addition, 60% of individuals with …
Physical Activity in Individuals With Severe Mental Illness: Client Versus Case Manager Ratings
Abstract The Physical Activity Scale for Individuals With Physical Disabilities was examined as a physical activity measure for people with severe mental illness. Case manager ratings were more closely related to body mass index than clients’ ratings, challenging the accuracy of self-report physical activity measures for individuals with severe mental illness. Read More Source: Bezyak, J., Chan, F., Lee, E.J., …
A Motivational Model for Dietary Self-Management in Multiple Sclerosis
Abstract The main objective of this study was to evaluate the health action process approach (HAPA) as a motivational model for dietary self-management for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Quantitative descriptive research design using path analysis was used. Participants were 209 individuals with MS recruited from the National MS Society and a neurology clinic at a university teaching hospital in …
Stages of Change for Exercise in Multiple Sclerosis
Abstract The main objective of this study was to determine whether motivational and volitional variables identified in the health action process approach (HAPA) model can be used to successfully differentiate people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in different stages of change for exercise and physical activity. Ex-post-facto design using multiple discriminant analysis was used. Participants were 215 individuals with MS. The …
Measuring Resilience: Use of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale for People With Spinal Cord Injuries
Resilience, in its simplest terms, results in people “bouncing back” from adversity and getting on with their lives. To infer resilience, two major steps must occur: (a) exposure to significant adversity (e.g., car accident), and (b) a positive developmental outcome afterwards (e.g., substantial psychosocial adjustment). The construct of resilience has recently been explored among individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). …
Using the Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale to Assist People with Spinal Cord Injuries
Individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) may experience functional limitations and societal barriers that affect their belief in their ability to perform daily activities and achieve goals. This belief, known as self-efficacy, helps individuals select goals and persist in attaining them. People with high self-efficacy tend to persevere in challenging circumstances, and people with low levels of self-efficacy are less …
Emphasizing the Positive: The Role of Attachment Style, Social Support, and Coping on Happiness in Persons with Spinal Cord Injuries
Approximately 19%, or 56.7 million, of people in the United States have a disability that affects how they function in their daily activities. These individuals’ attachment styles, approaches to coping, and levels and types of social support have been identified as indicators of how well they will positively adjust to disability. The purpose of this research was to examine how …
Measuring Adaptation to Disability: Validation of the Brief Adaptation to Disability Scale – Revised
Research suggests that individuals with higher levels of disability acceptance experience higher levels of functional independence and life satisfaction. Disability acceptance is an indication of readiness to pursue appropriate social and career goals, gain new skills, integrate disability into self-identity, and restore positive self-worth. This study was conducted to validate the use of the B-ADS-R to measure disability acceptance in …
Measuring Hope: Use of the Trait Hope Scale for People with Disabilities
Snyder’s Hope Theory states that hope results from a combination of believing there is a way to achieve personal goals and being motivated to take action to pursue those goals. Hope contributes to positive psychosocial adjustment outcomes, including academic achievement and physical and mental health, in people with chronic illness and disability. It also results in greater life satisfaction, self-esteem, and …
Promoting Physical Activity and Exercise in People with Spinal Cord Injuries using Pender’s Health Promotion Model
Secondary conditions of a disability, such as pain, depression, pressure sores, and respiratory illness, often increase the functional disability of an individual by limiting their ability to engage in key life activities, such as employment and leisure pursuits. People with spinal cord injuries (SCI) are particularly vulnerable to secondary conditions due to physical limitations and a sedentary lifestyle. Increased exercise …
Identifying Vocational Rehabilitation Service Patterns and Employment Outcomes for Hispanics with Spinal Cord Injury
Demographics in the United States are changing rapidly; it’s estimated that minorities may constitute up to 45% of the country’s total population by 2050. Research suggests that ethnic minorities may potentially be more vulnerable to acquiring spinal cord injuries (SCI) than European-Americans. In addition, research shows that employment has a significant impact on improving the quality of life of individuals …
Predictive Ability of Pender’s Health Promotion Model for Physical Activity and Exercise in People With Spinal Cord Injuries: A Hierarchical Regression Analysis
Abstract The main objective of this study was to validate Pender’s Health Promotion Model (HPM) as a motivational model for exercise/physical activity self-management for people with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). Quantitative descriptive research design using hierarchical regression analysis (HRA) was used. A total of 126 individuals with SCI were recruited through the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, other SCI support …
Traumatic Brain Injury and Depression
“We can see people who have brain injuries. Their lives have been disrupted and so forth, and our response to them can be like, I’d be depressed, too. And so we can kinda think, like, it’s normal to be depressed, and that could lead to a lack of treatment for depression.” Dr. Chuck Bombardier, University of Washington’s TBI Model System …
Family and Teacher Support for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Ann Glang, PhD, principal investigator of the NIDRR-funded project “Development of a Web-Based Tool for Families Impacted by the Cognitive, Behavioral, and Social Challenges of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), is featured in several brainline.org videos that provide families and teachers with information to help them support children and adolescents with TBI. Find out more and access valuable training videos.