Affiliations: Restored Life Counseling, Conway, AR, USA | Ohio University, Lancaster, OH, USA | University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR, USA
Note: [] Corresponding author: Tresvil G. Pack,Restored Life Counseling, 930 Wingate Street, Suite C2, Conway, AR 72032, USA. E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Work is salient to life, is central to well-being, and
is a means by which individuals define themselves. Disabilities such as
Multiple Sclerosis (MS), however, can confound the interaction between person
and work. OBJECTIVE: In the current study, in an effort to examine the
effects of type of employment upon quality of life (QOL), employment was
divided into three categories (full-time employment, part-time employment, and
unemployment). METHOD: Comparisons were then made between QOL ratings and
the three categories. Although studies of QOL and MS are appearing more
frequently in the literature, few studies have addressed this issue. RESULTS: A priori comparisons and Analysis of Variance resulted in the finding
that persons with MS who were employed tended to rate their levels of QOL
nearly one third of a standard deviation higher than their unemployed
counterparts. CONCLUSION: Results of the study emphasize the need for the
provision of quality vocational services to persons with MS. Issues such as
quality vocational services, timeliness, and the importance of continued work
are discussed.
Keywords: Work, multiple sclerosis, disability, quality of life, QOL, well-being
