What Predicts Job Quality of Vocational Rehabilitation Consumers Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision?

Abstract

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act emphasizes promoting high-quality, competitive employment for people served by vocational rehabilitation (VR), but few studies have assessed VR consumers’ job quality. The purpose of this study was to investigate job quality and factors that predict the job quality of VR consumers with blindness or low vision (B/LV), taking into consideration their employment status at application. We utilized RSA-911 data of VR consumers with B/LV who were closed in competitive employment during 2015, creating two separate hierarchical linear models to predict job quality for VR consumers (a) who were employed at application and (b) who were not employed at application. We investigated individual-level (consumer personal characteristics and VR services) and state/agency-level predictors. Job quality and some predictors of job quality differed by employment status at application, although the strongest predictors (education level at application, gender, benefit receipt at application, receipt of a bachelor’s or higher degree) were consistent across the models. While several additional individual-level variables were significantly associated with job quality, their effect sizes were very small. With the exception of advancing education to a bachelor’s degree or higher while receiving services, consumer characteristics at application were the primary determinants of their job quality.

Competitive integrated employment for youth with disabilities: Aligning measurement with conceptualization using latent growth curve modeling

“…These findings echo previous studies on a snapshot of employment earnings [e.g., 16]. In fact, higher education level (completing high school or college) seemed to consistently lead to higher wages [35,36]. However, models that included training certification/licensure and time-varying limitations as covariates did not fit the data well, suggesting that the effects of these factors on hourly pay over the long term were negligible.…”

The Underutilization of Mental Health Care Services in the Lives of People with Blindness or Visual Impairment: A Literature Review on Rehabilitation Factors Toward Provision

“…While some studies in this theme did utilize RSA-911 data to explore characteristics of VR, 86 , 94 many studies highlighted its limitations. 59 , 86 , 87 , 95 In McDonnall et al’s 86 study, results indicated that job quality indicators were higher for consumers who were employed at application than for those not employed at application.…”

“…Findings suggest that disability self-worth may be an important target outcome for clinical settings. McDonnall et al 94 RSA-911 data on people with BVI. N = 8723.…”

“…In the same year, Zapata and Pearlstein 93 conceptualized PDI with disability identity theoretical constructs, utilizing hierarchical regression analysis to analyze the association between PDI and disability-related factors. McDonnall et al 94 utilized hierarchical linear modeling to investigate job quality as well as predictors of job quality for people with BVI engaged in VR. Two literature reviews were conducted; one focused on current mental health treatment and outcomes for people with BVI (see 13 ), and the other, a systematic literature review, focused on factors related to employment in people with BVI and who are engaged in VR-related services (see 95 ).…”

“…86 Similarly, Lund and Cmar's 95 recent systematic literature review postulated the potential "risk" for VR consumers with BVI to have unsuccessful closures due to poorly targeted supports and interventions, particularly those receiving SSDI. McDonnall et al 94 also postulated this same risk, stating that people with BVI who are also receiving SSDI may be at risk for poorer employment quality. Still, this study 86 found that there exists a holistic, multilevel assessment process that operates systematically depending on service needs.…”