Affiliations: Division of Occupational Therapy and Gerontology,
Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden | The Swedish Institute for Health Sciences,
Vårdalinstitutet, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: This multiple case study investigated support and process
in the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) approach from individual client,
longitudinal, and Person-Environment-Occupation (PEO) model perspectives. PARTICIPANTS: Five IPS-participants, or cases, with severe mental
illness (SMI) who worked a minimum of 4 hours a week entered the study. METHODS: A multiple data collection method was used over a period of
12 months and included IPS-vocational profiles and plans as well as various
instruments and questionnaires concerning socio-demographics, work performance,
limitations, and accommodations. Both within- and across-case analyses were
performed. RESULTS: The IPS-process concerned job search support, job-matches
(PEO-match), and adjustment of the PEO-match by providing accommodations by on-
and off-worksite support. All participants had limitations concerning social
interactions and handling symptoms/tolerating stress. Several accommodations
were made for the same limitations, mostly directed towards the social
environment. Prior work experience, disclosure, and not being in an acute phase
of illness seemed important to the support provided. CONCLUSIONS: This study has visualised the support and process in
IPS and provided a theoretical framework, the PEO-model, to detect limitations
and provide IPS-support. The organization of IPS-support and methods of
providing it to individuals may be important for job tenure and employment
success.
Keywords: Supported employment, psychiatric disability, PEO-model, work accommodations, vocational rehabilitation
