The impact of a self-management intervention on work-related behaviors in customized employment for individuals with severe disabilities

The benefits of work are still not widely available to many individuals with severe disabilities. This thesis first examines challenges individuals with severe disabilities face when seeking and maintaining employment (Chapter 1). A conceptual model based on a theory of control is used to conceptually model an on-the-job, customized intervention. Chapter 2 introduces a review of the literature on interventions that have been used in employment settings primarily with adults with severe disabilities (ASD, ID, and DD) over the past 30 years. The primary intervention category that emerged from the literature review was self-management and the literature emphasized four dependent variables: (a) inappropriate behavior, (b) work performance, (c) correct responses, and (d) compliance. A methodology for a community-based, job site intervention (Chapter 3) is introduced based on the findings of the literature review and the conceptual intervention model. A human-services cooperative that provides customized employment services for individuals with disabilities was chosen for the recruitment site. Three individuals ages 22-29, with ASD and/or ID, who participate in customized employment and were looking for job promotion opportunities and/or obtaining more secure job tenure were targeted for this multiple baseline across participants single subject design. The independent variable was a self-management intervention package introduced in two phases (a) goal-setting and (b) self-monitoring and the dependent variables were on-task work behaviors and completion of job tasks - which were operationally defined for each participant. Overall, the intervention and brief functional assessment increased the on-task behavior of two participants by 31% and 23%. The third participant, who was consistently on-task at the start of the intervention, still increased his on-task behavior by 4% during intervention. Regarding task completion, this participant increased his task completion on three out of four work tasks by more than 40% and maintained 100% task completion on the fourth task. The other two participants also increased their task completion in the majority of their job tasks. One experienced an increase of over 20% in all four of his job tasks, and the other participant experienced an increase of greater than 30% in three out of her five job tasks. Her remaining two job tasks experienced significant growth during phase two of the intervention (self-monitoring), but no growth during phase one (goal-setting). The discussion (Chapter 5) will address future implications for research and practice.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Special Education

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Nittrouer, Christine

Contributors dc:contributor

• Shogren, Karrie A.

• self-management
• intervention
• adults with severe disabilities (ASD)
• autism
• autism spectrum disorder
• intellectual disability (ID)
• community-based employment
• adults with disabilities
• customized employment
• community employment
• work-related behaviors

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2012 Christine Nittrouer

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/42347

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/42347