None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Research indicates a low employment rate among adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) despite many feeling capable of engaging in paid employment. Resuming employment after SCI provides an opportunity to interact with others and has been shown to contribute to general wellbeing and life satisfaction. Though specialist vocational rehabilitation services exist, barriers to accessing these services have been identified. These barriers include (but are not limited to): delays in the timeliness of vocational interventions, transportation and/or financial difficulties, and social stigma. In this context, time-efficient, cost-effective and accessible methods of vocational service delivery present clinical appeal. This includes the use of information and communication technologies (i.e. Internet) to supplement face-to-face rehabilitation. Specific aims will of this study will be to: 1. Develop and evaluate an online vocational resource for working-age adults with SCI. 2. Identify facilitators of, and barriers to, online learning We expect to demonstrate that: 1. Vocational rehabilitation can be applied in an online format 2. Access to online services will facilitate and promote vocational behaviours and, potentially, contribute to positive mental health outcomes.
Interventions
Participants will be required to read an online job-related information package comprising of 7 modules over a 4 week period:
- 1 x introductory module
- 3x modules related to the job-seeking process (i.e. job facts, current job market)
- 2 x modules on job interviewing (i.e. resume writing, interview do’s and don’ts, employers’ needs)
- 1 x module on career development.
Each module includes activity worksheets, links to online resources, and opportunity for email correspondence with a moderat
Participants will be required to read an online job-related information package comprising of 7 modules over a 4 week period: - 1 x introductory module - 3x modules related to the job-seeking process (i.e. job facts, current job market) - 2 x modules on job interviewing (i.e. resume writing, interview do’s and don’ts, employers’ needs) - 1 x module on career development. Each module includes activity worksheets, links to online resources, and opportunity for email correspondence with a moderator and trained clinical psychologist (lead applicant). The modules are short (up to 30 mins) and designed to be self-paced. Participants are encouraged to complete the introductory module first. The remaining modules can be completed in any order. The modules were developed by a multidisciplinary team of rehabilitation specialists including psychology, social work and neurology. A detailed description of the modules is available in an earlier publication by this research group: Dorstyn DS et al., (2016). Piloting an email-based resource package for job-seekers with Multiple Sclerosis. Disability and Rehabilitation. Advance Online Publication. 10 April 2016. A log of modules completed by each participant will be documented in a follow-up survey.
Sponsors
University of Adelaide
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Adults (i.e. > 18 years of age) with a traumatic or non-traumatic spinal cord injury or spinal condition (e.g. transverse myelitis, guillain barre syndrome, cauda equina syndrome, spinal fractures, spinal stenosis) who are of working age (i.e. 18-65 years) and currently seeking work or looking to change jobs. Participants will need access to a personal computer and internet.
Exclusion criteria
Being aged less than 18 years, being a carer or family member of an individual with SCI, cognitive or medical comorbidities that may impact on participation in the online intervention, adults with SCI who are not seeking work.
Outcome results
None listed