This study investigated the relationship between functional disability and perceived barriers to physical activity and exercise in persons with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). Participants were 144 individuals with SCI (mean age was 44 years old; 61% were male participants; 41.3% had spinal cord lesion at the cervical level, 43.7% at the thoracic level, and 14.3% at the lumbar level) from the National Spinal Cord Injury Association in the United States. Data on physical activity and exercise participation were collected using a cross-sectional online survey and analysed using multivariate analysis of variance and hierarchical regression analysis. The primary research findings indicate that level of functional disability was a predictor of perceived barriers to physical activity and exercise. Moreover, health barriers were found to be a partial mediator for functional disability and physical health-related quality of life, suggesting perceived barriers may help to explain the association between functional disability and physical health-related quality of life.

Narrative reflexivity was investigated as a potential mechanism of therapeutic change during a 12–18 month trial of Metacognitive Narrative Psychotherapy for people diagnosed with schizophrenia. Participants were nine adult clients (8 male, 1 female) aged between 25–65 years (M = 44, SD = 12.76) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia consistent with DSM-IV criteria and seven female provisional psychologists aged between 25–29 years (M = 26.8 years, SD = 1.47 years). Recovery and narrative reflexivity were measured at three time points using the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS) and the Narrative Processes Coding System (NPCS). Results were reported descriptively due to limited sample size (n = 9). The majority of clients (n = 7) reported an increase in recovery over the course of treatment. For six clients, an overall increase in recovery was associated with an increase in narrative reflexivity. This study provides preliminary support for narrative reflexivity as a potential mechanism of therapeutic change in the psychotherapy of people diagnosed with schizophrenia.

The Earning Capacity Assessment Form-2 assesses the factors that inhibit and facilitate an individual's return to work following an acquired disability (e.g., accident, misadventure). The purpose of this article is to provide the first item response analysis of the form. Data on Australian and US accident victims (N = 110) from two vocational assessment practices were used as a basis for evaluation. An item-response analysis was conducted using the Quest package for the 14 category responses. Results indicated that (a) the items function as inhibitors rather than drivers; and (b) they form a coherent underlying dimension of impairment. Problems in cognition and vocational adjustment issues were major markers for work incapacity.

There is concern that young people with visual impairment do not leave school adequately prepared for the workplace. Seventy young people from the UK with visual impairment (aged 16–19) took part in semi-structured interviews exploring how they define independence and how they predict they would deal with employment-based problems. Two overarching themes emerged: (1) how active/passive the young people felt they should be in solving problems (active–passive dimension), and (2) to whom (themselves or others) the young person attributed the responsibility for problems and solutions (internaliser–externaliser dimension). The results provide evidence of the importance of teaching young people disability-specific skills at school (an ‘expanded core curriculum’) which aims to maximise young people's independence while giving them a clear understanding of the accommodations to which they are entitled.

This study of young adults with disabilities in transition explored what factors contributed to young adults with disabilities terminating early from a transition program. Data from 6,227 young adults with disabilities aged 17–22 living in one of eight major metropolitan areas in the United States were utilised (58.7% of the sample were male, 63.1% were African-American, and 71.4% had a learning disability). All participants were enrolled in a school-to-work transition programme in which service providers place students into paid internships. Service providers at the eight sites collected data while working with participants, and then collected follow-up data at three and twelve months post-programme completion or termination. Hierarchical Linear Modelling was used to explore how personal factors impacted early termination, while controlling for variation at the site level. Results showed the three main reasons for early termination from work to be: programme initiated termination, interpersonal conflicts with coworkers or supervisors and transportation issues. Additionally, the multilevel model that controlled for variance at the site level demonstrated that Asian-American young adults with disabilities were less likely to terminate early from work. These results can help individuals who work with young adults with disabilities, provide supplemental services to students who may need additional assistance to succeed in a transition programme.

An online survey of adult women living in Australia with an acquired or congenital disability was conducted to explore the needs and challenges experienced by this population. Data for 116 respondents with a primary mobility (n = 92), sensory-related (n = 12), psychiatric (n = 6), or neurocognitive impairment (n = 6) were collected. Word clouds and content analysis were utilised to examine the data. Barriers to achieving vocational, health and relationship goals were identified, including systemic (e.g. financial resources, accessibility issues, societal attitudes), physical (e.g. medical sequalae), and psychological (e.g. self-concept, assertiveness) issues. Strategies to overcome these barriers included increased availability of peer support networks and opportunities for personal development. It follows that disability services require a multi-faceted approach, with a focus on biopsychosocial factors that include, but are not limited to, mobility, self-care and communication needs.

Work-based return-to-work (RTW) interventions can help to reduce the duration and cost of work disability, and in turn, prevent the negative effects of long-term sickness absence. However, there are a number of complex cognitive, affective and behavioural factors that can impact an individual's confidence, motivation and willingness to RTW that need to be addressed to facilitate effective outcomes. This literature review investigates evidence for the use of motivational interviewing (MI) for improving return-to-work (RTW) and employment outcomes. Whilst evidence for the efficacy of MI in clinical settings to motivate health behaviour change is strong, more research is needed to determine whether MI can be usefully applied to improve RTW and other work-related outcomes.

This study explored the lived experiences of family and socially networked others of survivors of drunk driving accidents in Sweden. Participants were 49 persons affected by drunk driving accidents: persons who had sustained traffic injury (n = 11), and their family members (n = 30) and friends (n = 8). Data were collected using a survey (either through web or postal). The results show a service gaps in providing for appropriate social support to traffic-injured persons and their family members and friends.

Little is known about the effectiveness of psychoeducational support groups on positive adaptation in parents and families after a child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy. A systematic literature review adopting the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was conducted to gain an understanding of the process of adaptation in parents with a child with cerebral palsy and the effects psychoeducational support programs have on this process. The databases searched were psychINFO, Taylor and Francis Online, PsychARTICLES, Medline and ProQuest. A total of 1083 papers were found and 19 of those papers were analysed. A narrative approach was used to synthesise the data extracted. A number of factors that influence adaption within a family after the diagnosis of cerebral palsy in a family member were identified in the review. These factors include, but are not limited to, providing appropriate and relevant information to parents and families, identifying community services and resources available to the family, assisting in the reduction of psychosocial distress, and encouraging the facilitation and collaboration of a strong parent-professional partnership throughout the process. Based on this information guidelines for psychoeducation programs for this client group were proposed.