Work and SCI: a pilot randomized controlled study of an online resource for job-seekers with spinal cord dysfunction

Abstract

Study design: A prospective, parallel randomized controlled trial (RCT). Objectives: To test the preliminary effects of an online resource targeted to job-seekers with spinal cord injury or disorder (SCI/D), and to determine the feasibility of proceeding to a full-scale RCT. Setting: A community cohort in Australia. Methods: Forty-eight adults (M = 42 years, SD = 10.95, 27 males) were randomized to receive 4-weeks access to the Work and SCI resource (n = 25) or to a wait-list control group (n = 23). The Work and SCI intervention involved six stand-alone learning modules which provided job-searching and career-planning information through text, videos, and interactive activities. Self-report measures were administered at baseline and after 4 weeks: Job Procurement Self-Efficacy Scale (JSES), Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Results: Online usage data identified high uptake of the Work and SCI resource, although study attrition was problematic. Intention-to-treat analyses failed to reach statistical significance, whereas complete data revealed a significant interaction effect for optimism (LOT-R). Conclusion: Further research to develop and enhance Work and SCI is indicated. Remediable strategies to optimize recruitment and statistical power in a future definitive RCT are discussed. Sponsorship: This project was funded by the auDA Foundation (project 16019).