Affiliations: Swedish Institute for Disability Research (SIDR),
Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden | Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning,
Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden | Nordic School of Public Health, Göteborg,
Sweden
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: One of the challenges agencies and professionals face is
to enable people on sick leave to be successful in their vocational
rehabilitation. The objective of this study was to explore and analyze some
professionals' perceptions of and views about vocational rehabilitation among
people with psychiatric disabilities. PARTICIPANTS: Eight professionals from four different agencies
(social services, the employment service, the social insurance office, and a
psychiatric outpatient setting) working in the area of vocational
rehabilitation for people with psychiatric disabilities. METHODS: Eight in-depth interviews were conducted. The data
collected was analyzed using qualitative content analysis together with an
interpretive approach. RESULTS: The results suggested the respondents were in consensus
regarding that which they considered to facilitate or enable successful
vocational rehabilitation. Intensive support over a long period of time and a
holistic view that takes into account the habits and routines of daily life
outside of work as well as the social and psychological aspects of individuals
during their rehabilitation processes were considered to be just as crucial to
the vocational rehabilitation process as training in the workplace. CONCLUSIONS: These professionals dealt with a complex vocational
rehabilitation system; they felt that their organizations' directives and
inability to collaborate successfully with other authorities restricted their
scope of action and hindered their exercise of good practice.
