Absence of conflict of interest.
Citation
Highlights
- The study’s objective was to examine the impact of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services on employment outcomes for Asian Americans with disabilities.
- The study used a nonexperimental design to investigate the effects of VR services on competitive employment for Asian Americans with disabilities. The authors conducted statistical models using data from the Rehabilitation Service Administration.
- The study found that several VR services were significant predictors of gaining competitive employment for Asian Americans with disabilities. However, there were a number of VR services that were significant predictors of not gaining competitive employment.
- This study receives a moderate causal evidence rating. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the VR services accessed, but other factors might also have contributed.
Intervention Examined
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services
Features of the Study
The study used statistical models to examine the effects of vocational rehabilitation service types on competitive employment. The authors analyzed national administrative data from the Rehabilitation Service Administration (RSA-911) for fiscal year 2013. The data included information about demographics, duration of services, costs, types of vocational services used, and employment. VR services included assessment, diagnosis and treatment, VR counseling and guidance, college or university training, occupational/vocational training, job readiness training, miscellaneous training, job search assistance, job placement assistance, on-the-job supports, transportation services, maintenance services, rehabilitation technology, information and referral, interpreter services, and augmentative skills training.
Study participants included 4,332 Asian Americans who had been diagnosed with a disability and had applied for and initiated vocational rehabilitation state services. The study sample was part of a national data set which included 973 individuals with a sensory/communicative disability, 884 individuals with a physical disability, 1,207 individuals with a cognitive disability, and 1,268 individuals with a psychiatric disability. Individuals with a sensory/communicative disability were primarily male (56%), between 25-54 years of age (45%), with some post-secondary school education (45%), and not employed (67%). Individuals with a physical disability were primarily male (55%), 35-54 years of age (45%), with some post-secondary education (54%), and not employed (85%). Individuals with a cognitive disability were primarily male (63%), up to 24 years of age (69%), had less than a high school degree (34%), and were not employed (88%). individuals with a psychiatric disability were primarily male (57%), between 35-54 years of age (39%), with some post-secondary education (52%), and not employed (90%).
Findings
Employment
- For Asian Americans with sensory/communicative disabilities, the study found that five VR services were significant predictors of gaining competitive employment: diagnostic and treatment services, VR counseling and guidance, job placement assistance, on-the-job supports, and rehabilitation technology. However, four VR services were significantly related to not gaining competitive employment: job readiness training, transportation services, interpreter services, and augmentative skills training.
- For Asian Americans with physical disabilities, the study found that VR counseling and guidance and job placement assistance were significant predictors of gaining competitive employment.
- For Asian Americans with cognitive disabilities, the study found that job placement assistance and on-the-job supports were significant predictors of gaining competitive employment. However, job readiness training was significantly related to not gaining competitive employment.
- For Asian Americans with psychiatric disabilities, the study found that job placement assistance, on-the-job supports, and maintenance services were significant predictors of gaining competitive employment.
Considerations for Interpreting the Findings
Study authors noted that since the Rehabilitation Service Administration data used for analysis were completed by vocational counselors and individuals receiving the services, external factors may have influenced the reported data which may have influenced study results. Variables such as language proficiency, immigration status, and poverty level were not considered by study authors, which may have also influenced the impact of services and their delivery, thus affecting study outcomes.
Causal Evidence Rating
The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to the VR services accessed, but other factors might also have contributed.