BACKGROUND: Work is salient to life, is central to well-being, and is a means by which individuals define themselves. Disabilities such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), however, can confound the interaction between person and work. OBJECTIVE: In the current study, in an effort to examine the effects of type of employment upon quality of life (QOL), employment was divided into three categories (full-time employment, part-time employment, and unemployment). METHOD: Comparisons were then made between QOL ratings and the three categories. Although studies of QOL and MS are appearing more frequently in the literature, few studies have addressed this issue. RESULTS: A priori comparisons and Analysis of Variance resulted in the finding that persons with MS who were employed tended to rate their levels of QOL nearly one third of a standard deviation higher than their unemployed counterparts. CONCLUSION: Results of the study emphasize the need for the provision of quality vocational services to persons with MS. Issues such as quality vocational services, timeliness, and the importance of continued work are discussed.

The health benefits of social support have been widely documented. However, the social distancing practices from the COVID-19 pandemic is causing social disruption on a grand scale, potentially causing poor health outcomes. Through Google Trends analysis, we found a COVID-19-related surge in interest surrounding "loneliness." We assessed if social isolation and loneliness increase the risk for all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality (ICD-10: I00-I99) and used the data to create a conceptual framework. Using the 10-year overall and cardiovascular mortality follow-up data (n = 12,019) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008), we conducted survival analyses and found that individuals who experience social isolation or loneliness have a significantly higher likelihood of overall and CVD mortality than those without support. These effects generally remained strong with further adjustment for NHANES-detected health and demographic differences showing the need to address COVID-19 related loneliness through increasing social nearing.

Grief is regarded as a critical life event. Unresolved grief issues can interfere with quality of life and can result in emotional, behavioral, physical and cognitive symptoms, and if unresolved, can result in suicidal ideation. Counselors can be called upon and often do work with grief issues in clients, including U. S. Military veterans. This study examined whether 93 master’s level counselors specializing in rehabilitation counseling reported having been adequately trained to identify and work with clients who are having grief-related issues from loss or disability. Using the Grief Counseling Competency Scale (GCCS), participants showed a wide range of scores regarding personal competency related to grief. However, scores tended to be low when examining skills and knowledge relating to grief counseling. Implications for further research are discussed.

Persons with physical and sensory disabilities continue to face difficulty securing and maintaining employment. Despite all of the efforts of individuals providing assistance to job seekers, family members, friends and colleagues, the employment deficit of people with disabilities has remained nearly static for years. This study examined factors salient to the attainment of competitive employment among people with physical and sensory disabilities served by the state-federal rehabilitation system. Employing a series of logistic regression analyses measured against national rehabilitation data, the results support the need for provision of job placement services to improve potential for competitive employment. Predictors of competitive employment, job placement service provision implications, the need for vocational evaluation and appropriate planning are discussed. An evidence-based service model designed to address the predictors of competitive employment among persons with physical and sensory disabilities is presented.

Mass casualty incidents, particularly mass shootings, are a serious issue in the United States. These incidents have increased over the past two decades and more than 32 public mass shootings have occurred since 2016, with approximately 12.8 incidents occurring each year. Since 1966, there have been over 1,202 fatalities and countless injuries due to public mass shooting incidents. Therefore, it is essential that professional counselors are equipped to treat primary, secondary, and tertiary victims of these incidents. The purpose of this article is to examine the current literature on public mass shootings, including psychological consequences, treatment considerations, ethical and legal issues, and cultural factors. Vicarious traumatization and self-care are also explored. Recommendations for training and resources are offered, and implications for professional counselors and counselor trainees are discussed.