Original scientific paper
EFFECTS OF EMPLOYMENT STATUS, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL CONTACTS ON THE EMPOWERMENT OF MENTALLY ILL PERSONS
Ema Ničea Gruber
orcid.org/0000-0003-1284-0181
; Zatvorska bolnica Zagreb, Zagreb
Abstract
Under analysis is the correlation between the level of empowerment in mentally ill and their employment status, education and socio-cultural contacts. Rogers's empowerment scale was adapted to suit the Croatian sample. Out of 248 mentally ill persons (93% response rate), one half was employed and the remaining half was either unemployed or disabled/retired. The majority of the persons in the sample had high school level education and 11% held a university degree. In most cases the subjects had a friend, best friend or close family members and a half had a partner/spouse. Almost all socio-demographic categories questioned exhibited a moderate level of empowerment while persons with a college degree exhibited high empowerment. Persons without friends or a best friend exhibited a low level of empowerment. However, persons without a partner or spouse were more empowered than those married or in a relationship. Unemployed persons exhibited a higher level of empowerment than those incapable of employment. The predictors of higher level of empowerment included social contacts in the form of a friend or best friend, employment, university degree and lack of partner/spouse.
It is recommended that during treatment and especially during rehabilitation of a mentally ill person the focus should be on maintaining employment or procuring employment, on continuing education, on maintaining and improving social networks with special focus on partner/spouse relationship and couples therapy.
Keywords
employment; mentally ill person; socio-cultural contacts; education; empowerment
Hrčak ID:
93806
URI
Publication date:
18.12.2012.
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