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Withdrawal from Employment Gained Post-SCI: Precipitating Factors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 December 2015

Mary Alice O'Hare  and
Gregory Murphy
Mary Alice O'Hare
Affiliation:
School of Psychology and Public Health, Latrobe University, Bundoora, Australia
Gregory Murphy*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology and Public Health, Latrobe University, Bundoora, Australia
*
Address for correspondence: Professor Gregory Murphy, School of Psychology and Public Health, Latrobe University, Bundoora, Australia, 3086. E-mail: G.Murphy@latrobe.edu.au
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Abstract

Despite the high prevalence of withdrawal from employment gained post-traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI), relatively few studies have examined the factors that precipitate job withdrawal. Within the context of general systems theory, the aim of the present study was to identify and classify the factors that led to job withdrawal post-tSCI. Using purposive sampling and a structured proforma, 30 participants completed an in-depth telephone interview. Job withdrawal was precipitated more frequently by micro-system (person-centred) factors or meso-system (job-related) factors than macro-system (socio-economic) factors. Micro-system factors fell into five groups (SCI-related, psychological/psychosocial, mobility, general health and knowledge/skills/abilities) as did meso-system factors (job design, psychosocial climate, ergonomics, human resources and work cycles). Two groups of macro-system factors were identified (proximal and distal). Classifying job withdrawal factors within the context of general systems theory provides an integrated framework for intervention development and furnishes decision-makers with guidance as to whether a top-down or bottom-up approach would be more feasible/beneficial to address preventable job withdrawal post-tSCI.

Keywords

traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI)job withdrawaljob acquisitionjob retentiongeneral systems theory
Type
Articles
Information
The Australian Journal of Rehabilitation Counselling , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , December 2015 , pp. 91 - 107
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2015 

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