Plain English Summary
Background and study aims
People in Switzerland suffering from a mental or physical disorder and therefore not able to work receive an IV-pension (the “Invalid pension”). Before they receive the IV there are several possibilities to get integrated into the competitive employment market. To date a sheltered workplace is the only possibility of employment after granting of the IV-Pension. Frontline services to incorporate pensioners into the competitive job market do not exist. This creates two main problems for the IV-pensioners. First it is not easy for the IV-pensioners to find a way back into a competitive job as most of the pensioners are not familiar with the legal framework. Secondly, pensioners grow accustomed with not working. Aside from these problems, a previous study pointed out that working in a protected working environment does not lead to a sufficient stabilization of the affected pensioners. Instead a better state of health and especially a more successful integration into the competitive job market was demonstrated by using the approach of Supported Employment (SE). The Supported Employment approach, which has already shown huge success as well in the USA as in Switzerland and other European countries, involves a direct integration of mentally ill people into the competitive job market with the close advice of job coaches. Job coaches support the client by searching for vacant jobs, assisting applications, as well as coaching the client in working situations. If the employer and client approve, job coaches can support the employer as well. This study uses the approach 'Individual Placement and Support' (IPS). The aim of this study is to find out whether job coaching according to the IPS approach enables IV-pensioners to be successfully integrated into the competitive job market and hence improves their quality of life, mental health and self-esteem.
Who can participate?
People of a working age (18-60) who have an IV pension because of a mental illness, not approved for longer than one year, and who are motivated to work in the competitive employment market
What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated into one of two groups. One group receives the support of the job coaches who are working according to the IPS model and are interviewed every 6 months. The job coaches support them by searching for job vacancies, and support them while applying and working. The other group does not receive the support and are interviewed every 6 months. Quality of life, motivation, job satisfaction, health, job preferences, self-esteem, and job satisfaction are assessed in both groups.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants may benefit from the support with their integration into competitive job market. There are no risks for participants.
Where is the study run from?
University of Zurich (Switzerland)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2011 to September 2014
Who is funding the study?
Swiss Federal Social Insurance Office (Switzerland)
Who is the main contact?
Dr Wolfram Kawohl
Trial website
Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Protocol/serial number
N/A
Study information
Scientific title
Integration/rehabilitation of purchasers of a social contribution (named IV-pensioners) according to the approach of Individual Placement Support - the Zurich Integration - Pilot Project [Zürcher Eingliederungs-Pilot Projekt (ZhEPP)]
Acronym
ZhEPP
Study hypothesis
1. Job coaching according to the approach of IPS enables IV-pensioners, who are fully or part time retired due to a mental disorder to be successfully integrated into the open job market
2. For the intervention group (as opposed to the control group) we hypothesize the following:
2.1. Enhancement of state of health
2.2. Enhancement of quality of life
2.3. Increased self-esteem
2.4. Enhancement of recovery orientation
2.5. Reduction of costs
2.6. Reduction of self-stigma
2.7. Education of cognitive appraisal of stigma as a stressor
Ethics approval
Zurich Cantonal Ethics Committee (CEC), 20/10/2010, ref: KEK-ZH-NR: 2010-0311/0
Study design
Randomized controlled study
Primary study design
Interventional
Secondary study design
Randomised controlled trial
Trial setting
Other
Trial type
Treatment
Patient information sheet
Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a patient information sheet
Condition
Mental disorders
Intervention
Supported Employment according to the IPS (Individual Placement and Support) model lasts up to two years for each participant. The job coaches support for the participants of the Intervention group by searching for job vacancies, supporting them while applying and working.
125 of the 250 persons are randomised to an Intervention group (who receive the approach of IPS) and the other 125 to the control group. For the efficiency control of that intervention a two-factor analysis of variance is conducted with the two factors group affiliation (Intervention and control group) and outcome (employment yes/no).
To test the impact of the intervention some interview-based instrument are surveyed.
Intervention type
Other
Phase
Not Applicable
Drug names
Primary outcome measure
The possibility to integrate IV-pensioners with a mental disorder with the aid of IPS by the end of this study
Secondary outcome measures
1. Quality of life, motivation, job satisfaction, health condition, job preferences, self-esteem, job satisfaction/ termination, social disability, global assessment of functioning as a baseline (T0-T5)
2. Every year (T0, T2, T4): perceived devaluation-discrimination, stigma, cognitive appraisal of stigma as a stressor, depressive mood
Overall trial start date
01/01/2011
Overall trial end date
30/09/2014
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Eligibility
Participant inclusion criteria
1. IV-pension caused by a mental illness (full- or parttime pension)
2. The pension is not approved longer than one year
3. Voluntariness
4. The IV- retirees goal is to work in the first employment market
5. Participants have to sign a consent about the study
6. Working age (18-60)
Participant type
Patient
Age group
Adult
Gender
Both
Target number of participants
250
Participant exclusion criteria
1. Mental retardation [International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision (ICD-10)]
2. Organic mental disorder (ICD-10)
Recruitment start date
01/01/2011
Recruitment end date
30/09/2014
Locations
Countries of recruitment
Switzerland
Trial participating centre
University of Zurich
Zurich
8021
Switzerland
Sponsor information
Organisation
University of Zurich (Switzerland)
Sponsor details
c/o Prof Wulf Rössler
Research Unit Clinic for General and Social Psychiatry
Militärstrasse 8
Zurich
8021
Switzerland
Sponsor type
University/education
Website
Funders
Funder type
Government
Funder name
Swiss Federal Social Insurance Office [Schweizerisches BSV (Bundesamt für Sozialversicherungen] (Switzerland)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
Not provided at time of registration
Intention to publish date
Participant level data
Not provided at time of registration
Basic results (scientific)
Publication list
2013 protocol in: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23883137
Publication citations
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Protocol
Viering S, Bärtsch B, Obermann C, Rüsch N, Rössler W, Kawohl W, The effectiveness of individual placement and support for people with mental illness new on social benefits: a study protocol., BMC Psychiatry, 2013, 13, 195, doi: 10.1186/1471-244X-13-195.