WORK: A Journal of Prevention,Assessment & Rehabilitation

This article discusses the growing population of women with HIV/AIDS as an emergent disability group with unique needs for vocational rehabilitation services. Data from the National Working Positive Coalition Employment Needs Survey for people living with HIV/AIDS was used to describe the demographic, economic, health, and employment characteristics of a sample of 122 female respondents. Findings make several contributions to understanding this emerging population and their vocational development needs including limited knowledge of employment resources, incentives and barriers to employment, and unmet needs for vocational rehabilitation services. Implications for vocational rehabilitation professionals and future research are discussed.

Asperger Syndrome (AS) is a pervasive developmental disorder characterized by underdeveloped social and communication skills. Despite the fact that most individuals with AS have average to above average cognitive abilities, characteristics of the disorder can cause extreme difficulties in these two domains. While increased attention has been given to the developmental characteristics and educational support needs of children with AS, few studies have focused on the psychosocial and vocational characteristics of emerging adults with AS and the supports they need to succeed in the workplace. This article examines the school-to-work transition of individuals with AS. Psychosocial and vocational characteristics of AS are identified and potential work challenges for these individuals are discussed. The article concludes with specific recommendations for facilitating successful school-to-work transitions for consumers with AS.

Using the Integrated Mission System of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the employment discrimination experience of Americans with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is documented for Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The researchers examine demographic characteristics of the charging parties; the industry designation, location, and size of employers against whom complaints are filed; the nature of discrimination (i.e., type of complaint) alleged to occur; and the legal outcome or resolution of these complaints. Researchers compare and contrast these key dimensions of workplace discrimination involving individuals with ASDs and persons with other physical, sensory, and neurological impairments. Researchers also attempt to discern whether or not the resolutions of the ASD charges can be predicted using the variables available for analysis. The comparative findings of this study indicate that individuals with ASDs were more likely to make charges of discrimination against Retail industry employers. Persons with ASDs were also more likely to make charges of discrimination when they were younger, male, and/or of Native American/Alaskan Native ethnicity. The predictive findings of this study indicate that the odds of ASD charges resulting in meritorious resolution (i.e., discrimination determined by the EEOC to have occurred) increase when the discrimination was encountered in Service industries and by larger employers. Implications for policy, advocacy and further research efforts are addressed.

Individuals who have suffered polytrauma injuries must often contend with a complex constellation of physical, psychological, and psychosocial factors. These variables must be understood and addressed by rehabilitation specialists in order to optimize employment outcomes and overall quality of life for persons who have incurred these injuries. This article provides an abridged review of the current empirical data concerning the relationship between polytrauma and employment outcomes, with a focus on traumatic brain injury (TBI). In addition, Bordin's [4] working alliance model is recommended as a framework for strengthening the relationship between rehabilitation professionals and persons with TBI, thereby optimizing their employment outcomes.

Military personnel, who have sustained multiple injuries, or polytrauma, are returning home with a novel set of challenging injuries and disabilities. These emerging injury patterns require specialized rehabilitation and continual coordination of care. One technique to assess the current and future disability-related needs of an individual who sustains polytrauma is life care planning. The life care plan (LCP) is a dynamic document based upon published standards of practice, comprehensive assessments, data analysis, and research. The purpose of this article is to introduce the life care plan as an established and successful approach for meeting the complex and comprehensive needs of individuals with polytrauma. Additionally this article includes multiple case examples to help illustrate the applicability of life care planning.

Psychological disability, including alcohol abuse and mental health issues, are associated with numerous interpersonal, intrapersonal, and occupational difficulties. Employers often bear the greatest economic impact of maladaptive behavior due to greater employee turnover, poor work performance, and other negative work outcomes. Despite these negative outcomes, researchers have yet to examine possible benefits of prevention and intervention programs designed specifically to limit adulthood occupational problems. In this paper, an early prevention/intervention model is suggested. Specifically, the authors suggest that early preventions and interventions should target peer victimization in elementary school settings, as peer victimization has been shown to lead to mental health issues and alcohol abuse. Furthermore, the authors suggest that limiting the occurrence of these psychological difficulties would decrease occurrence of substance use and abuse, decrease the occurrence of later mental health problems, and, therefore, decrease negative occupational outcomes. The authors assert that such early prevention/intervention programs have the opportunity to minimize the need for costly, adulthood interventions and may maximize individuals' potential gains.

The older population is one of the fastest growing age cohorts in the United States. This population has a higher incidence of disabling conditions than does the younger population. Many older adults may wish to be employed due to economic or personal reasons. This desire to work is consistent with the general older population's perspective on work, however certain barriers to employment exist for this group. Special considerations regarding employment are discussed.

The public vocational rehabilitation (VR) system in the United States faces many challenges in the 21{st} century. To prevail amid such challenges, rehabilitation professionals will need to embrace several specific skills (anticipating change, engaging in more generative than adaptive learning to make rehabilitation organizations true "learning organizations" and adoption of a comprehensive ecological framework for planning VR system change). As a preface to understanding these skills, this paper discusses the current developmental stage of the public VR system, followed by lessons learned in its first century of existence, as well as some logical propositions about the future of VR.

This article describes the challenges that inhere to consumer satisfaction research in the fields of rehabilitation and health care, discusses strategies for improving the psychometric soundness and scientific rigor of research in this increasingly important knowledge domain, and cites several examples from the contemporary literature of measurement and design approaches that have been identified as particularly useful in gauging consumer satisfaction with services. Mixed-method and qualitative research strategies such as in-depth interviews and focus groups are emphasized as ways of broadening and deepening the field's understanding of the multi-dimensional construct of consumer satisfaction.