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- Title
Does Employment Promote Recovery? Meanings from Work Experience in People Diagnosed with Serious Mental Illness.
- Authors
Saavedra, Javier; López, Marcelino; Gonzáles, Sergio; Cubero, Rosario
- Abstract
Employment has been highlighted as a determinant of health and as an essential milestone in the recovery process of people with serious mental illness. Different types of programs and public services have been designed to improve the employability of this population. However, there has not been much interest in the meanings attributed to these experiences and the negative aspects of work experience. In this research, we explored the meanings that participants attributed to their work experience and the impact of work on their recovery process. Research participants lived in Andalusia (Spain), a region in southern Europe with a high unemployment rate. Two versions of a semi-structured interview were designed: one for people who were working, and one for unemployed people. Participants' narratives were categorized according to grounded theory and the analyses were validated in group sessions. Apart from several positive effects for recovery, the analysis of the narratives about work experience outlined certain obstacles to recovery. For example, participants mentioned personal conflicts and stress, job insecurity and meaningless jobs. While valid, the idea that employment is beneficial for recovery must be qualified by the personal meanings attributed to these experiences, and the specific cultural and economic factors of each context.
- Subjects
SPAIN; EMPLOYMENT of people with mental illness; MENTAL illness treatment; REHABILITATION of people with mental illness; SCHIZOPHRENIA treatment; WORK experience (Employment); EMPLOYMENT; MENTAL illness; SCHIZOPHRENIA; NARRATIVES; PSYCHOLOGY
- Publication
Culture, Medicine & Psychiatry, 2016, Vol 40, Issue 3, p507
- ISSN
0165-005X
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1007/s11013-015-9481-4