RESUMEN
PURPOSE: Unemployment is an obstacle in recovery for people with severe mental illnesses (SMI), both in reducing psychopathological symptoms and in achieving a high quality of life. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of an internship program for people diagnosed with SMI on psychosocial variables using a pre-test and post-test design. METHOD: Four scales were administered to a sample of 127 study participants, all of whom were diagnosed with SMI. The results of standard and sheltered employment outcomes were obtained by comparing the number and type of contracts gained by participants up to one year after program completion. A repeated measures ANOVA analysis was carried out with intervention being an independent intra-subject variable and type of participant diagnosis being a between-subjects variable. RESULTS: A limited increase in social functioning was found, as well as a significant decrease in psychiatric distress for users diagnosed with personality disorders. Participants in the internship program obtained a greater number of employment contracts than their peers who did not participate in the program, albeit with a low effect size. CONCLUSIONS: Though results were positive, extension of internship length and provision of more intensive counselling for participants may be useful.
An internship program for persons with severe mental illnesses yielded modest improvements in social functioning.A decrease in psychiatric distress in participants with personality disorders was found after the internships.Participants in the internship obtained a greater number of employment contracts.An extended internship programme with workplace support is likely to be beneficial.
RESUMEN
Las tareas de cuidado a dependientes merecen ser objeto de estudio y atención por representar un factor de riesgo para la salud. Por ello analizamos los efectos de ser cuidadora familiar y asistir a un curso de control del estrés, así como la incidencia de dos covariables consideradas relevantes, como son los pensamientos disfuncionales y el tiempo prestando cuidados. Analizamos una muestra de 219 asistentes a talleres psicoeducativos a la que se aplicaron tres instrumentos: cuestionario sociodemográfico, cuestionario de salud general (GHQ28) y pensamientos disfuncionales (CPD). El análisis univariante mostró que ser cuidadora familiar repercute negativamente (p< .001) en todas las escalas del GHQ y que realizar un curso de estrés tiene efectos claramente positivos (p< .05) en la salud general, la somatización y la función social. Asimismo, el análisis de la covarianza mostró que los efectos de ser cuidadora y haber realizado un curso de estrés se mantienen incluso si se consideran los pensamientos disfuncionales y el tiempo cuidando (AU)
Dependent care tasks deser ve a special study and attention because of being a health risk factor. That is the reason why we analyzed the effects of working as a family caregiver and of attending a stress management workshop and the impact of two relevant covariables, i.e., dysfunctional thoughts and the time spent providing care. We analyzed a sample of 219 participants attending psychoeducational workshops. Three instruments were applied: A socio-demographic questionnaire, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ28), and the Dysfunctional Thoughts Questionnaire (CPD). Univariate analysis showed that working as a family caregiver has a negative impact (p< .001) on all GHQ scales and that attending a stress management workshop has a positive effect (p< .05) on general health, somatization and social function. Furthermore, covariance analysis showed that the effects of working as a caregiver and attending a stress management workshop remained significant even when the two covariables (dysfunctional thoughts and time providing care) were considered (AU)