Improving Work Outcome for People With Severe Mental Illness
Condition: Schizophrenia, Schizotypal and Delusional Disorders; Bipolar Affective Disorder; Recurrent Depressive Disorder
MeSH terms: Schizophrenia; Depressive Disorder; Mood Disorders; Bipolar Disorder; Schizophrenia, Paranoid
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of IPS in Denmark and compare
      effects of 1. Individual Placement and Support (IPS) vs. 2. IPS + cognitive remediation and
      work-related social skills training vs. 3. standard intervention, among individuals with
      severe mental illness.
    

Detailed description: 
      Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is established as the most effective vocational
      intervention available for persons with severe mental illness,and the intervention is widely
      recognized as an evidence-based practice. Despite evidence, long-term job retention and
      economic self-sufficiency have not been clearly demonstrated. Research has suggested that
      integrating methods such as cognitive remediation and social skills training could reduce
      such limitations. Further, there has not been conducted any randomized controled trials with
      IPS in Scandinavian countries with highly developed and generous social security and welfare
      systems, and with high thresholds to the open labour market.

      The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of IPS in Denmark and compare
      effects of 1. IPS vs. 2. IPS + cognitive remediation and work-related social skills training
      vs. 3. Standard intervention.

      The intervention is based on the 7 principles of IPS Supported Employment, and IPS enhanced
      with cognitive remediation and work-related social skills training, consists of 24 sessions
      of computer based cognitive training and 24 group based sessions of cognitive coping
      strategies and work-related social skills training.
    

Intervention name(s): Individual Placement and support (IPS); IPS plus
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): IPS involves an employment specialist who is integrated within the mental health team, and carries out all phases of the vocational services, with a caseload on less than 25. The intervention is based on the 7 principles of IPS Supported Employment. The essence of these principles is an individualized and rapid search for competitive employment or education that avoids prolonged prevocational training and preparation. The intervention is integrated within the mental health services, with emphasis on client preference and choice regarding jobs, and with availability of on going job support and benefit counselling; Individual Placement and Support + cognitive remediation and work-related social skills training, consists of the IPS intervention + 24 sessions of computer based cognitive training and 24 group based sessions of cognitive coping strategies and work-related social skills training.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Other
Keywords: Severe mental illness; Vocational rehabilitation; Supported employment; Individual placement and support; Cognitive remediation; Social skill training