How employment support and social integration programmes are viewed by the intellectually disabled.
Adults with mild ID value supported employment, but some want friends at work while others want clear rules—ask first, then place.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers asked adults with mild intellectual disability how they feel about supported employment.
The team used a qualitative design. They wanted to hear personal views, not count behaviors.
People shared what helped them grow and feel good at work.
What they found
Most adults said supported employment boosts self-development and well-being.
Some workers loved joining coworkers and being part of the group.
Others liked clear rules and steady tasks more than social time.
How this fits with other research
Cadette et al. (2016) later used numbers to show the same thing. Their quasi-experiment found that community jobs give adults with ID more community integration and money than sheltered workshops.
Ghaziuddin et al. (1996) already saw higher task engagement and more natural talk with coworkers in supported jobs. The 2009 study adds the personal voice behind those numbers.
Schall et al. (2024) asked stakeholders and confirmed that supported employment is still seen as a valid path today.
Why it matters
Ask each client what matters most: social ties or clear structure. Then match job type, training style, and support plan to that preference. One size will not fit all.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Supported employment is intended to facilitate and promote participation and integration of intellectually disabled citizens in society. This study investigated their view of the programme. METHODS: Q-methodology was used. Eighteen respondents with a mild intellectual disability rank-ordered 22 statements representing five main aspects of supported employment. The data were factor-analysed to group respondents according to their views. Q-methodology was a feasible approach that facilitated in-depth conversations with respondents with a mild intellectual disability in a playful manner. RESULTS: Two views on the impact of supported employment on social integration were observed: 'work as participation' and 'work as structure'. The first placed greater value on participation, task variety, belonging, and feeling appreciated; the second placed greater value on working independently, clear working agreements, and friendly co-workers. The views indicate two distinct approaches to effecting a positive relationship between supported employment and social integration. CONCLUSION: From the perspective of people with an intellectual disability supported employment contributes to self-development and has a positive effect on well-being, albeit in different ways for the individual groups.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2009 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2009.01168.x