“…Despite attention to vocational rehabilitation supports to achieve work, there has been no satisfactory framework to assist in understanding why some persons with schizophrenia work competitively post-diagnosis, and why some don't return to paid work. Three general notions contribute to a partial understanding of work restoration in young adults: first, the presence of negative symptoms and cognitive impairments negatively affects competitive employment (Anthony, Rogers, Cohen, & Davies, 1995;Lysaker & Bell, 1995); second, possessing adequate social competence and a strong preference for paid work appear to predict motivation for job procurement and tenure at any age (Kee et al, 2003;Massel et al, 1990;Mueser et al, 2001); and third, status as a Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipient negatively affects competitive employment outcomes for those newly diagnosed (Ho, Andreasen, & Flaum, 1997;MacDonald-Wilson, Rogers, & Anthony, 2001). While it is important to pay attention to all contributions to work recovery, it is equally important to provide a systematized means to understand early work experiences, aspirations, career preferences and antecedents, and strategies that guide career development in the young adult prior to illness onset.…”