Background/Aims: Role functioning is an important part of recovery and psychiatric rehabilitation for people with schizophrenia. However, little is known about why some people and not others return to socially valued roles such as employment. While the demographic and clinical correlates of employment have been extensively studied, little is known about how employment interest forms and develops into actual employment activity. The aim was to compare demographic and clinical correlates of employment interest to correlates of actual employment participation. Methods: A community sample of 255 working-age adults with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were interviewed about their current employment status and current employment interest. Univariate logistic regression was used to examine the demographic and clinical correlates of both employment interest and participation. Findings: Age, employment history and severity of current hallucinations were associated with both employment interest and participation, while illness severity pattern, illness course, severity of disability, and severity of avolition were associated only with employment participation. Conclusions: Resilience of employment interest to the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia is a promising finding. Those with more severe illness patterns and more impaired functioning can remain good candidates for vocational rehabilitation, because interest and motivation for employment may be unaffected.

There are divergent findings about the level of employment interest among community residents with schizophrenia. In addition, little is known about interest in other socially valued roles, such as formal education and training, self-development, living independently, and other forms of rehabilitation. Interest in employment is important as an indicator of demand for effective supported employment services. Data for this analysis were provided by a large and well-defined community sample of 255 persons with a DSM-IV diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Role functioning was investigated with the Socially-Valued Role Classification Scale. Interest in employment was high, with 85% of the participants being either employed or interested in employment as a future goal. In addition, 95% of participants were either performing, or interested in performing, two other socially valued roles (education and training or rehabilitation). This is more encouraging than some previous studies suggest and indicates that 95% of all community residents with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder are candidates for effective rehabilitation programs. Further research is needed to understand the importance of interest in socially valued roles and how appropriate assistance can develop both interest and lack of interest into motivation and action within each role domain.

Introduction The extent that adults with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders participate in socially valued roles within their community is an important aspect of recovery and rehabilitation. Although previous research has explored functioning in specific roles (for example, education, employment and independent living) less is known about combined participation in different types of socially valued roles. The purpose of this investigation was to describe the role functioning of a community sample of 255 adults with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Method The diagnostic interview for genetics study 2.0 was administered by trained clinicians and provided the background clinical information for this report. A subsample from the genetics study was interviewed by telephone using the socially valued role classification scale. Participants were specifically asked about their participation in employment, education and training, rehabilitation, caring for others, and home duties and self-care. Results Overall role participation was high, with 80% participating in socially valued roles other than independent living. Role functioning in each role category was relatively independent of functioning in other role domains. Conclusion Occupational therapists can best facilitate the rehabilitation and recovery of community residents with severe mental illness by adopting a role-specific approach based on individual preferences for particular role domains.