The Role of Work in the Recovery of Persons with Psychiatric Disabilities

This study explored the role of work in the recovery of employed and unemployed persons with psychiatric disabilities. Fourteen persons with psychiatric disabilities participated in semi-structured interviews. Content analysis revealed that the experience of recovery was based on six major dimensions: self-definition, empowerment, connections to others, meaning of work, vocational future, and meaning of recovery. Differences in these six dimensions led to the identification of three profiles of recovery: recovery as uncertain, recovery as a self-empowering experience, and recovery as a challenging experience. Each profile described a specific context in which participation in work or avoidance of work can be understood and vocational interventions can be designed.