Effects of supported employment on the competitive integrated employment outcomes of transition age and young adults with intellectual disabilities: A non-experimental causal comparative study

Kanako Iwanaga, Deborah Lee, Jake Hamburg, Jia Rung Wu, Xiangli Chen, Phillip Rumrill, Paul Wehman, Timothy N. Tansey, Fong Chan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Supported employment has long been recognized as one of the most effective services for individuals with the most significant disabilities in achieving competitive integrated employment (CIE) outcomes. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effect of supported employment interventions on the employment outcomes of transition-age youth and young adults with intellectual disabilities served by state vocational rehabilitation agencies using a propensity score matching (PSM) approach. METHODS: We conducted a non-experimental causal comparative study with PSM to create a treatment group (n=2162) and a comparison group (n=2191) using the Rehabilitation Services Administration Case Service Report database (Program Year 2018). Chi-square test and t-test were used to analyze the differences between the treatment and control groups on employment outcomes, hourly wage and hours worked per week. RESULTS: Results demonstrated that transition-age youth and young adults with intellectual disabilities who received supported employment were more likely to achieve CIE, earn higher wages, and work longer hours weekly than the control group. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that supported employment is an effective service for enhancing the vocational rehabilitation outcomes of transition-age youth and young adults with intellectual disabilities and provides valuable information for policy makers, health care providers, rehabilitation counselors, and educators.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)39-48
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Vocational Rehabilitation
Volume58
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023-The authors. Published by IOS Press.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (Grant number: 90RTEM0003-03-00), a center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality Employment (Grant number: H264K200003) from the U.S. Department of Education. However, the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal government.

FundersFunder number
Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Quality EmploymentH264K200003
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
U.S. Department of Education, OSERS
National Institute of Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)90RTEM0003-03-00

    Keywords

    • Transition-age youth
    • competitive integrated employment
    • gainful employment
    • intellectual disability
    • supported employment

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Rehabilitation
    • Occupational Therapy

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