OBJECTIVE: This study tested whether higher work-related self-efficacy would predict the achievement of competitive employment in supported employment (SE) programs.
METHODS: N = 105 individuals were recruited from 5 state-funded SE programs in a Northeastern state. Participants were required to be unemployed and seeking employment to be eligible to enter the study. Research staff met with the individuals at baseline and collected demographic information and data on self-efficacy and psychiatric symptoms. For the follow-up assessment at 6 months, data were collected on participants, self-efficacy, psychiatric symptoms, and employment activity.
RESULTS: Thirty-eight percent of the participants achieved competitive employment at the 6-month follow-up. However, self-efficacy was not a positive predictor of competitive employment. Surprisingly, 1 of the subscales, work-related social skills self-efficacy, was negatively associated with employment.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: These findings suggest that self-efficacy is not a predictor of competitive employment for individuals living with serious mental illness and receiving supported employment services. It appears that SE can be helpful for participants with a range of self-efficacy.
