Data analysisRecruitment of participantsOtherUnder evaluation
Evaluation of interpersonal factors in the workplace on the fluctuation of self-esteem of workers in social firms having a severe mental disorder
+ Data analysis
| Title |
Evaluation of interpersonal factors in the workplace on the fluctuation of self-esteem of workers in social firms having a severe mental disorder |
| Status | Data analysis |
| Population (diagnosis) |  Severe mental disorders |
| Researchers | Marc Corbière, Lise Lachance, Alexandra Panaccio, Tania Lecomte |
| Funding | Fonds de recherche du Pr Marc Corbière (UQÀM) |
| Description | Buts: L’objectif principal du projet est d’évaluer les facteurs relationnels au travail (supérieur immédiat, collègues de travail) qui influencent la fluctuation de l’estime de soi de travailleurs avec un trouble mental grave.
Contexte: Le rétablissement ou le renforcement de l’estime de soi est requis pour permettre aux personnes avec un trouble mental grave (ex., trouble bipolaire) de s’engager dans des activités diverses, comme le travail. L’estime de soi n’est pas un trait statique: elle peut fluctuer selon la rétroaction reçue dans un contexte particulier. En ce sens, l’estime de soi en tant que travailleur peut augmenter chez les personnes satisfaites à l’égard de leur travail, notamment vis-à-vis des attitudes et comportements de leur supérieur immédiat. Par ailleurs, recevoir un feed-back constructif du supérieur permet aux personnes avec un trouble mental grave de se maintenir en emploi plus longtemps. Le rôle du supérieur immédiat (et des collègues de travail) dans le retour/réintégration au travail de personnes aux prises avec un trouble mental courant ou grave est considéré d’ailleurs comme essentiel, car ce premier a une très bonne connaissance du milieu de travail et présente un pouvoir d’action important dans la dynamique de l’équipe de travail. Contribution à l’avancement des connaissances: Les attitudes et comportements spécifiques à promouvoir ou à éviter chez le supérieur et les collègues de travail sont mal connus dans ce contexte. Cette étude permettra donc de les identifier et de mieux comprendre leur influence sur l’estime de soi de l’employé avec un trouble mental et ainsi repérer les éléments essentiels pour développer une intervention conçue sur mesure pour le supérieur immédiat et les collègues qui travaillent avec une personne aux prises avec un trouble mental grave. De plus, l’étude permettra de tester une nouvelle méthode de recherche, l’Experience sampling method, dans le but de l’utiliser dans de futurs projets où il est parfois difficile d’avoir accès à de grands échantillons, notamment lorsqu’il s’agit de recruter des personnes avec une incapacité au travail (p. ex., populations avec un trouble mental courant, un trouble mental grave, un trouble musculosquelettique). Pour résumer, les résultats de ce projet permettront d’identifier et de développer de nouvelles cibles d’intervention et de tester de nouvelles méthodes d’analyse et de collecte de données de participants à des projets. Retombées positives prévues : Les résultats de ce projet aideront à mieux intervenir auprès de deux acteurs clés de l’organisation, le supérieur immédiat et les collègues de travail, et ainsi développer des interventions cibles pour créer un contexte favorable au développement de l’estime de soi du travailleur avec un trouble mental grave lors de son entrée en emploi, et rétablir/renforcer son estime de soi pour assurer son maintien en emploi. Publications envisagées : Au moins un article dans une revue scientifique avec comité de lecture dans le champ de la santé mentale et de la réhabilitation au travail. |
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| Exclusion criteria |
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For more information: (514) 987-3000 ext. 5593 | jean-philippe.lachance.cemtl@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
Tailored cognitive-behaviour therapy for individuals with severe mental illness in supported employment programs – effects on work outcomes and related variables
+ Data analysis
| Title |
Tailored cognitive-behaviour therapy for individuals with severe mental illness in supported employment programs – effects on work outcomes and related variables |
| Status | Data analysis |
| Population (diagnosis) | Severe mental disorders |
| Researchers | Lecomte T., Corbière M., Titone D., Lysaker, P. |
| Funding | Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) |
| Description | Introduction: Supported employment programs are considered evidenced-based practices in North America in helping individuals with severe mental illness obtain work. Even though their success rates are higher than other vocational programs, only approximately 50% of participants obtain employment with many losing their jobs after a few months. Of the many reasons found to explain these results, inappropriate expectancies, poor coping strategies as well as erroneous beliefs about the workplace or their own work abilities are often mentioned. Specific interventions have been developed to modify beliefs and improve coping strategies in individuals with psychotic disorders, namely cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). CBT has been offered with success to individuals with psychosis to help improve symptoms and facilitate work integration but has never been evaluated as a potential add-on to supported employment programs implemented in Canada. Objectives: The present study aims at investigating the effects of a brief CBT intervention offered within a supported employment program for individuals with severe mental illness. The effects of the intervention will be measures on work outcomes as well as specific concepts related to the intervention and significantly linked to obtaining and maintaining work. Method: A total of 100 subjects stemming from two identical supported employment agencies will be recruited. Of these, 50 participants from one agency will receive eight sessions of group work-related CBT, whereas 50 participants from the other agency will be used for comparison. Participants will be assessed at baseline, upon their entry into the supported employment program, as well one month later (end of the CBT), at six months and 12 months follow-ups. Given the dearth of information on the effects of CBT for work integration, preliminary results are needed prior to planning a randomized controlled trial. Inclusion criteria are: having a severe mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar or other psychotic disorder), being followed for less than one month by the targeted supported employment agency, and capacity to consent to the study. Exclusion criteria are: inability to communicate in French or English, having a known organic disorder or mental retardation, and having previously received CBT. Substance abuse is not an exclusion criterion. Measures: 1) Work outcomes: descriptive information regarding work outcomes (hours worked, type of job, number of jobs obtained, etc) will be obtained as well as specific measures regarding efficacy in work behaviours (in job search or in the workplace) at each time point. 2) Work-CBT related concepts: validated questionnaires and interviews will enable us to assess beliefs about the workplace, expectancies, psychiatric symptoms, self-esteem as a worker, coping strategies, and motivation to work. Narratives will be obtained to determine changes in self-perception over time. Participant satisfaction regarding the CBT intervention will also be gathered. 3) Control variables: Work maintenance can be influenced by other factors not directly work-related and not directly targeted by the proposed CBT intervention, namely: a comorbid personality disorder, cognitive deficits and social interaction deficits. Personality traits and cognitive deficits will be assessed once at baseline, whereas social interactions will be assessed at each time point. Relevance: The current proposal takes a first step towards determining the effects of a tailored group CBT for individuals within a supported employment program. Such an intervention could potentially improve work integration of individuals with severe mental illness at a fairly low cost. This study will also help us better understand the contribution of cognitive processes (beliefs, expectancies, coping) on work behaviours and work outcome, while controlling for other competing concepts (such as cognitive and social deficits). |
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| Exclusion criteria |
For more information: (514) 987-3000 ext. 5593 | jean-philippe.lachance.cemtl@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
Factors associated with the work integration of people with severe mental disorders in social enterprises located in Canada
+ Data analysis
| Title |
Factors associated with the work integration of people with severe mental disorders in social enterprises located in Canada |
| Status | Data analysis |
| Population (diagnosis) | Severe mental disorders |
| Researchers | Marc Corbière, Carolyn Dewa, Tania Lecomte, Franco Fraccaroli, Sara Zaniboni, Hélène Sultan-Taïeb, Marie-José Durand |
| Funding | Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) |
| Description | Introduction: Work is the main activity of 62.7% of Canada’s adult population and offers financial autonomy, self-respect, dignity, and quality of life. However, a large number of individuals are unable to work because of disabilities arising from various physical or mental health problems. For people with a severe mental disorder (e.g., schizophrenia, mood disorders), almost 80% are unemployed, though many are able and available to integrate into the workplace. Furthermore, job tenure is typically brief for this population, with published studies reporting an average of 3-7 months. In contrast, people with severe mental disorder who work in social enterprise (SE) contexts have longer job tenures than people who work in other settings. However, little is known about SEs as a work alternative for people with a severe mental disorder. SEs offer several advantages over other social professional integration measures. First, few SEs operate with government subsidies. Consequently, they are less likely to be affected by changes in government, which is not the case for publicly funded community programs. Second, in addition to providing employment opportunities, SEs offer goods and/or services to their members and to the community. Third, because SEs employ a significant percentage of employees with severe mental disorders, they allow better workplace integration, often with less stigma, and better accommodations for people with a severe mental disorder than other workplace settings. Social Enterprises, with their mission of integrating people with a severe mental disorder into the workforce, initially arose in Italy following the deinstitutionalization of psychiatric hospitals in the late 1970s. In Canada, SEs are a fairly recent phenomenon with most new SEs being developed in Quebec and Ontario. Studies looking at specific profiles of employees with severe mental disorders working in SEs are needed, as are studies investigating the significant elements that predict job tenure for this clientele. Return on Investment (ROI) and cost-benefit analyses of SEs are also warranted to gain a better understanding of the value of the investments associated with the various SE models. Objectives: The purpose of this study is threefold: 1) Describe the profiles of employees with a severe mental disorder working in SEs; 2) Identify the significant factors that predict job tenure for individuals working in SEs; 3) Evaluate the ROI of various SE models and conduct a cost-benefit analysis of SEs. Method: This prospective study consists of three assessment phases for employees with severe mental disorders: Phase 1 (baseline) and Phases 2 and 3 (six month and one year follow-ups). Also, during this one year period, Human resources from the SE will be contacted every two months (work outcomes). As well, in Phase I: Directors/owners/human resources managers of SEs located in Canada will be interviewed about their enterprise’s structure using organizational indicators of SEs (e.g., percentage of employees with a disability). In parallel, individual and environmental data will be gathered from employees with a severe mental disorder working in the SEs, including variables from the following concepts: background and characteristics, work personality (i.e., workers’ characteristics), work environment, work adjustment, and work intention. A total of 500 participants is anticipated for Phase 1. Also, work outcomes (e.g., job tenure) for study participants will be gathered by Human resources every two months for one year following Phase 1. In Phases 2 and 3 (6-month and 1-year follow-ups): Participants with severe mental disorders will be assessed regarding variables that may change over time (e.g., self-esteem as a worker). Descriptiveanalyses, cluster analyses, survival analyses and structural equation modelling will be used to answer the study’s objectives 1 and 2. Finally, the ROI and cost-benefit analyses (Objective 3) will take one year to complete, and will assess the value of the accommodations offered within each SE as well as mental health services used. Pertinence: This research will increase our understanding of SEs in Canada by taking advantage of the experiences of SEs located in Italy, based on organizational, psychosocial and economic characteristics. The results of this study will provide new information about people with a severe mental disorder working in Canadian SEs (Quebec and Ontario) as well as key factors impacting job retention of people with mental disabilities in SEs. |
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| Exclusion criteria |
For more information: Julie Hupé and Maud Mazaniello (514) 987-3000 ext. 5593
Disclosing a psychiatric condition in the workplace: Evaluation of stigma and work outcomes
+ Recruitment of participants
| Title |
Disclosing a psychiatric condition in the workplace: Evaluation of stigma and work outcomes |
| Status | Recruitment of participants |
| Population (diagnosis) | Severe mental disorders |
| Researchers | Marc Corbière, Kate Toth, Tania Lecomte, Bonnie Kirsh, Heather Stuart, Patrizia Villotti, Djamal Berbiche |
| Funding | Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) |
| Description | Background: Job tenure is a significant issue for individuals with a severe mental disorder (e.g., schizophrenia), as successful employment and the economic self-sufficiency it provides are important for recovery. Supported employment (SE) programs are recognized as evidence-based practices to help people with severe mental disorders obtain competitive employment. However, job tenure for people with a severe mental disorder is often brief, with studies showing that nearly half of all clients leave or lose their employment within six months. One of the best predictors of job tenure for individuals with severe mental illness is the implementation of work accommodation and the presence of natural supports in the workplace. However, accessing accommodations and supports in the workplace requires disclosure of the psychiatric condition, and fear of stigma may lead employees to choose not to disclose. Decision-making about disclosure at work is thus a complex process, as disclosing can have both positive (e.g., work accommodations) and negative (e.g., stigma) outcomes. We will specifically be exploring disclosure to the immediate supervisor, as the supervisor plays a significant role in the implementation of work accommodations and relevant employment outcomes (e.g., job tenure). Objectives: The specific objectives of the study are (O1) to assess the antecedents and outcomes of disclosure decision in the workplace, split into 2 sub-objectives: (O1a) to assess the influence of personal, and organizational variables on the disclosure decision considering demographic variables; (O1b) to assess the impact of the disclosure decision on work accommodations and natural supports, stigma, work productivity, job satisfaction, and job tenure, including significant predictors of disclosure decisions emerging from O1a; and, (O2) to develop an in-depth understanding of the disclosure process, including disclosure needs, values, and goals, and disclosure events. Methods: The study consists of a sequential mixed methods design with two phases. Phase 1 Baseline: Participants enrolled in SE programs in Ontario and Quebec (n=300) will be recruited and will complete baseline measures. Phase 2 Follow-Up (quantitative): A 6 month follow-up will be conducted to assess whether participants disclosed (fully or partially) or not their psychiatric condition, and the impact on stigma and work outcomes. Phase 2 (qualitative): A sub-sample (n=45) of participants will be selected based on the disclosure decision and maintenance of employment (yes/no and length of employment). Qualitative data collection will focus on developing an understanding of the disclosure decision-making process. Quantitative Analyses: To identify the most significant predictors of the disclosure decision, multinomial multiple logistic regressions (disclosure – full, partial, or nondisclosure) will be used. Structural equation modelling will be conducted to understand the relationships between the disclosure decision and job tenure considering mediators variables (e.g., stigma, work accommodations). We will employ Qualitative analyses to develop an in-depth understanding of the disclosure decision-making process from the perspective of participants. Relevance: This work would also provide more information for clients to aid in decision-making regarding the disclosure of a psychiatric condition in the workplace. The integration of both data types will provide practical knowledge for clinical and workplace interventions. As organizations become more inclusive and supportive of employees diagnosed with a mental disorder, we can expect job tenure to increase, leading to enhanced recovery for individuals, and increased productivity and reduced disability claims costs for organizations. |
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For more information: (514) 987-3000 ext. 5593 | jean-philippe.lachance.cemtl@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
Supervisor and worker perspectives on workplace accommodations for mental health
+ Recruitment of participants
| Title |
Supervisor and worker perspectives on workplace accommodations for mental health |
| Status | Recruitment of participants |
| Population (diagnosis) | Common mental disorders |
| Researchers | Vicki Kristman, Marc Corbière, William S Shaw, Karen Harlos, Margaret Cernigoj |
| Funding | Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba |
| Description | Goal: Supervisors of workers with mental health disorders (MHD) play a key role in the prevention of prolonged work absences. Providing appropriate workplace accommodation is one approach supervisors use to facilitate an employee staying at work or returning to work early. People with MHD function well in the workplace when they are provided with appropriate work accommodations that take into account social, organizational, and interpersonal issues. Yet, we have little understanding of how these factors influence the decision-making of supervisors to develop and provide work accommodation.The general objective of the proposed study is to understand what factors (organizational/job, supervisor, healthcare provider and worker) determine whether workplace accommodations are supported and received from the perspective of supervisors and workers. Specific aims include: 1) To determine, from the supervisor perspective, the association between supervisor characteristics, organizational/job factors, health care provider and worker characteristics and supervisors’ decisions to support and facilitate workplace accommodations for workers with MHD. 2) To determine, from the perspective of workers with MHD, the association between supervisor characteristics, organizational/job factors, health care provider and worker characteristics and the provision of helpful workplace accommodations. A secondary objective is to determine the correlation between accommodations supervisors are willing to support and accommodations that workers with MHD would prefer/find helpful.The study will involve distributing cross-sectional surveys to supervisors and workers from 33 randomly selected businesses from across Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario. For inclusion in the study, businesses will require a minimum of 50 employees and be from one of eleven industrial groups as listed: Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing; Mining; Construction Industries; Manufacturing; Transportation; Wholesale/Distributors; Retail Trade; Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate; Services (including health care); Public Administration; and non-classified establishments. We will invite 3 randomly selected businesses from each of the 11 groups to participate.For companies who agree to participate, we will distribute two separate surveys: one to all supervisors and one to all workers. We will ask all supervisors to complete a web-based survey including a case vignette of a worker with a mental health disorder and a number of scales assessing factors that may affect their decisions to provide workplace accommodations. The study will identify factors influencing supervisors’ decisions to accommodate workers with MHD. We will ask all workers to complete a web-based survey indicating whether or not they suffer from a mental health disorder. For those that do, we will assess whether or not they have disclosed their condition and we will determine which accommodations they were offered and which they would have preferred or found helpful to be offered. We will also assess individual perspectives and group-level information on the workplace, supervisor, and worker factors through additional scales on the survey. |
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For more information: Marc Corbière (514) 987-3000 ext. 5574
Preventing depression relapse and improving well-being at work
+ Recruitment of participants
| Title |
Preventing depression relapse and improving well-being at work |
| Status | Recruitment of participants |
| Population (diagnosis) | Depression |
| Researchers | Tania Lecomte, Marc Corbière |
| Funding | Healthy Minds Canada |
| Description | Les chercheurs principaux ont développé, par le passé, une intervention de groupe de type cognitivo-comportementale ayant fait ses preuves auprès de différentes clientèles ayant eu des problèmes de santé mentale. La présente démarche vise à tester une version adaptée de cette intervention auprès de personnes ayant des antécédents récents de dépression qui sont de retour au travail. Il s’agit d’une étude préliminaire qui s’inscrit dans une démarche scientifique visant à mesurer l’impact d’une intervention de groupe cognitivo-comportementale pour les personnes souffrant de dépression, qui sont actuellement au travail, quant à la prévention de la rechute au niveau de la dépression. 50 travailleurs ayant des antécédents récents de dépression sont invités à participer à l’étude. Des mesures seront prises à trois temps de mesures dans une période de six mois. |
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For more information: (514) 987-3000 ext. 5593 | jean-philippe.lachance.cemtl@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
Evaluation of the determinants of the sustainable return to work of senior workers with a work disability due to mental of physical disorders
+ Recruitment of participants
| Title |
Evaluation of the determinants of the sustainable return to work of senior workers with a work disability due to mental of physical disorders |
| Status | Recruitment of participants |
| Population (diagnosis) |  Workers 45 years of age and up that have experienced a psychological (e.g., depression) or physical (e.g., musculoskeletal disorder) occupational disease |
| Researchers | Alessia Negrini, Marc Corbière and collaborators |
| Funding | Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST) |
| Description | To identify the determinants of a stable return to work of workers 45 years of age and up that have experienced a psychological or physical occupational disease. |
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For more information: Julie Hupé and Marie Comeau (514) 288-1551 ext. 245 | Marie.Comeau@irsst.qc.ca
The role of work recognition in preventing relapses and promoting job tenure of workers with a work disability: From the phenomenon to the development of a tool
+ Evaluation
| Title |
The role of work recognition in preventing relapses and promoting job tenure of workers with a work disability: From the phenomenon to the development of a tool |
| Status | Evaluation |
| Population (diagnosis) | Common mental disorders,  Musculoskeletal disorders |
| Researchers | Marc Corbière, Louise O’Reilly, Alessia Negrini, Chantal Cara |
| Funding | |
| Description | Problématique de santé et de sécurité du travail et objectifs : Une estimation des coûts à partir des données de la CNESST (2005-2007) révèle que le coût moyen des troubles mentaux courants (TMC) impliquant une rechute passe du simple au double (68 738 $ sans rechute, contre 125 129$ avec une rechute) et que pour les troubles musculosquelettiques (TMS), il est multiplié par quatre (20 453$ contre 81 110$) (Lebeau, 2015). Ces constats renvoient à des préoccupations chez les intervenants en milieu clinique (ex. ergothérapeute, psychologue), qui se voient dans l’urgence d’identifier les facteurs psychosociaux qui peuvent prévenir les rechutes et promouvoir le maintien en emploi en santé des travailleurs (TMS/TMC). Selon plusieurs théories en psychologie du travail (Zawieja et Guarnieri, 2014), la reconnaissance au travail a un impact positif sur la santé et le fonctionnement des travailleurs. Certains auteurs considèrent cette notion comme le facteur principal de la préservation de la santé (Molinier et Flottes, 2012). En revanche, une faible reconnaissance au travail peut agir en tant que risque psychosocial significatif et ainsi nuire à l’individu sur le plan psychologique, physiologique et comportemental (Corbière, Negrini, et Dewa, 2013). Chez des groupes de travailleurs qui ont eu une absence du travail significative et dont les compétences ont pu être re-questionnées par le collectif de travail (Saint-Arnaud, Saint-Jean, et Rhéaume, 2004), l’évaluation de la reconnaissance au travail peut devenir judicieuse lors de la réintégration au travail et, par voie de conséquences, permettre à l’intervenant en milieu clinique d’évaluer les perceptions (vécu, expérience) de son client, en lui offrant des stratégies pour prévenir les rechutes et assurer son maintien en emploi. La reconnaissance au travail n’a toutefois pas été investiguée en contexte de retour au travail à la suite d’un TMS/TMC. Les objectifs du projet sont: 1) documenter la signification de l’expérience de reconnaissance au travail auprès de travailleurs qui reprennent leur activité professionnelle à la suite d’une absence maladie (TMS/TMC) (O1); 2) concevoir et valider un questionnaire sur la notion de reconnaissance au travail chez les travailleurs qui sont retournés au travail à la suite d’une absence due à un TMS/TMC (O2); et 3) évaluer la contribution de la reconnaissance au travail chez les travailleurs avec un TMS/TMC qui ont récemment repris leur activité professionnelle, et ce, sur leurs rechutes éventuelles et leur maintien en emploi (O3). Méthode : Ce projet consiste en un devis mixte séquentiel. En premier lieu (O1), il s’agit de conduire une recherche de nature phénoménologique (Cara, 1997; O’Reilly et Cara, 2014) auprès de deux groupes de travailleurs qui sont retournés au travail après une absence maladie due à un TMC (25 pers.) et un TMS (25 pers.) afin de mieux documenter leur expérience de reconnaissance au travail. Par la suite, il s’agira de concevoir et valider un questionnaire sur la reconnaissance au travail (O2 et O3). Les résultats issus de la recherche phénoménologique seront nécessaires pour la conception de l’outil. Les chercheurs adopteront les étapes requises à la conception et la validation d’un questionnaire (Gallagher, 2014) auprès d’un échantillon de 150 TMS et 150 TMC. Résultats attendus : La notion de reconnaissance au travail sera documentée pour des travailleurs qui ont repris leur activité à la suite d’une absence due à un TMS/TMC. Elle permettra de concevoir un questionnaire pour mieux évaluer la reconnaissance au travail et comprendre ses retombées, notamment les rechutes et le maintien en emploi de ces deux groupes de travailleurs. Retombées prévisibles : Les résultats de ce projet pourront permettre aux intervenants des milieux cliniques de mieux intervenir auprès de travailleurs ayant vécu un problème de santé (TMS/TMC), en processus de retour au travail. Lorsque le questionnaire sera validé, l’intervenant pourra l’utiliser dans sa clinique afin de prendre connaissance des perceptions de son client concernant la présence ou l’absence de reconnaissance dans son milieu de travail, en élaborant des stratégies constructives qui pourront l’aider dans la prévention d’éventuelles rechutes et son maintien en emploi. Si les résultats s’avèrent probants, une version de ce questionnaire pourra éventuellement être développée pour les intervenants en milieu de travail (ex. conseiller dans les ressources humaines). |
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| Exclusion criteria |
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For more information: (514) 987-3000 ext. 5593 | jean-philippe.lachance.cemtl@ssss.gouv.qc.ca