Identifying return to work predictors among individuals obtaining psychological services

Abstract

Mental health problems have incapacitating effects on an individual’s capacity to hold and maintain employment. Over half a million Canadians are absent from work due to mental health problems every day, which costs Canadian companies an estimated 14% of their net annual profit. Individuals who miss work for mental health reasons often experience longer periods of absence, and return to work at a much lower rate than individuals absent for other reasons (e.g., physical injury). Regrettably, empirically based return to work interventions focused on mental health problems are lacking, likely the product of a lack of consensus surrounding salient predictors of return to work. The current study sought to add to current literature aimed at identifying factors that influence the likelihood of successful re-entry into the workforce. A review of patient files from a private psychological practice yielded the sample. Clients were selected based on their satisfaction of one central criterion: having experienced a workplace absence and suffered from a mood or anxiety disorder as classified by the DSM-IV-TR. Recruitment letters and consent forms were mailed to 74 eligible participants, for a response rate of 68% (n=50). The sample was predominantly female (n=38 or 76%). Of the 50 participants, 27 successfully reintegrated to the workforce (RTW=54%), following a mean absence of 13 months (SD=7.37). Emerging from the results are higher risk categories (e.g., physically injured workers, low educational requirements, disability providers) of reduced likelihood of successful return to work. The role of symptom severity and availability of social support is also discussed along with best practice implications for stakeholder/practitioners.