TY - JOUR
T1 - Improving Work Participation Outcomes Among Unemployed People with Mental Health Issues/Mental Illness
T2 - Feasibility of a Stigma Awareness Intervention
AU - Janssens, K. M.E.
AU - Joosen, M. C.W.
AU - Henderson, C.
AU - van Weeghel, J.
AU - Brouwers, E. P.M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2023.
PY - 2024/6
Y1 - 2024/6
N2 - Purpose: As stigma is a barrier to work participation of unemployed people with mental health issues/mental illness (MHI), a stigma awareness intervention can be helpful to make informed decisions about disclosing MHI. The aim of this process evaluation was to investigate the feasibility of a stigma awareness intervention, to explore experiences of clients and their employment specialists; and to give recommendations for further implementation. Methods: The intervention consisted of a stigma awareness training for employment specialists and a decision aid tool for their clients with (a history of) MHI. For the process evaluation, six process components of the Linnan & Stecklar framework were examined: recruitment, reach, dose delivered, dose received, fidelity and context. Using a mixed-methods design, quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. Results: The six components showed the intervention was largely implemented as planned. Questionnaire data showed that 94% of the clients found the tool useful and 87% would recommend it to others. In addition, more than half (54%) indicated the tool had been helpful in their disclosure decision. Qualitative data showed that participants were mainly positive about the intervention. Nevertheless, only a minority of clients and employment specialists had actually discussed the tool together. According to both, the intervention had increased their awareness of workplace stigma and the disclosure dilemma. Conclusion: The implementation of a stigma awareness intervention was feasible and did increase stigma awareness. Experiences with the intervention were mainly positive. When implementing the tool, it is recommended to embed it in the vocational rehabilitation system, so that discussing the disclosure dilemma becomes a routine. Trail Register: The study was retrospectively registered at the Dutch Trial Register (TRN: NL7798, date: 04-06-2019).
AB - Purpose: As stigma is a barrier to work participation of unemployed people with mental health issues/mental illness (MHI), a stigma awareness intervention can be helpful to make informed decisions about disclosing MHI. The aim of this process evaluation was to investigate the feasibility of a stigma awareness intervention, to explore experiences of clients and their employment specialists; and to give recommendations for further implementation. Methods: The intervention consisted of a stigma awareness training for employment specialists and a decision aid tool for their clients with (a history of) MHI. For the process evaluation, six process components of the Linnan & Stecklar framework were examined: recruitment, reach, dose delivered, dose received, fidelity and context. Using a mixed-methods design, quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. Results: The six components showed the intervention was largely implemented as planned. Questionnaire data showed that 94% of the clients found the tool useful and 87% would recommend it to others. In addition, more than half (54%) indicated the tool had been helpful in their disclosure decision. Qualitative data showed that participants were mainly positive about the intervention. Nevertheless, only a minority of clients and employment specialists had actually discussed the tool together. According to both, the intervention had increased their awareness of workplace stigma and the disclosure dilemma. Conclusion: The implementation of a stigma awareness intervention was feasible and did increase stigma awareness. Experiences with the intervention were mainly positive. When implementing the tool, it is recommended to embed it in the vocational rehabilitation system, so that discussing the disclosure dilemma becomes a routine. Trail Register: The study was retrospectively registered at the Dutch Trial Register (TRN: NL7798, date: 04-06-2019).
KW - Disclosure
KW - Employment specialists
KW - Mental health issues/mental illness
KW - Process evaluation
KW - Unemployed people
KW - Vocational rehabilitation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85174851083&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10926-023-10141-3
DO - 10.1007/s10926-023-10141-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 37878158
AN - SCOPUS:85174851083
SN - 1053-0487
VL - 34
SP - 447
EP - 460
JO - JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL REHABILITATION
JF - JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL REHABILITATION
IS - 2
ER -
