Understanding the employment barriers and support needs of people living with psychosis

Abstract

This study investigated the employment barriers and support needs of people living with psychosis. A purposive community sample of 137 volunteers drawn from six key stakeholder groups were invited to participate in focus groups and semi-structured individual interviews to elicit their perceptions on the employment barriers and support needs of people living with psychosis. The stakeholder groups included in this study were people with lived experience of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, carers, health professionals, employers, employment service providers, and community members. Data obtained from 14 focus groups and 31 semi-structured individual interviews were transcribed, imported into NVivo 10, and coded for purposes of thematic analysis. The results of this study revealed that the employment barriers and support needs of people living with psychosis were multiple and diverse. The main employment barriers identified were interpersonal in nature, notably stigma and discrimination. Employment assistance, particularly in the area of job seeking, was the most frequently identified employment support need. The findings of this study suggest that a broad-ranging and collaborative approach is needed across multiple sectors to overcome employment barriers and improve employment outcomes for people living with psychosis. This would include increased public awareness, recovery-oriented health services, effective employment services, training across multiple sectors, and removal of disincentives to work.