Employment challenges in schizophrenia: the role of psychological and social factors -a review

Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder that most frequently occurs in late adolescence and early adulthood. Studies indicate that patients with schizophrenia have low employment rates, encountering difficulties in finding and keeping a steady job. This is a consequence of many factors that are connected to the patient, such as age, gender, education, marital status and factors related to the severity of the mental disorder. Low employment among patients with schizophrenia is also a reflection of the neurocognitive and social impairment that negatively impacts the quality of life. The aim of this review is to assess the psychological and social factors that have significant effects on employment outcomes among patients with schizophrenia. A better understanding of the causes of the low employment rate is necessary for developing effective interventions that will enhance patients’ social inclusion and quality of life.