Effectiveness of supported employment for people with severe mental disorders

Abstract

Introduction: People with severe mental disorders experience high unemployment rates, leading to the development of targeted employment interventions. Supported employment, which prioritizes securing competitive employment with ongoing support, has been shown to be more effective than vocational rehabilitation. Objective: To examine the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions that focus on supported employment in improving the employability of people with severe mental disorders. Method: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Searches were performed in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, yielding a total of 1,814 records. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, seven articles published up to April 2024 were selected. The risk of bias was assessed using Review Manager Web and ROBINS-1. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD4202424536471). Results: The total sample comprised 866 participants (M=123.71, SD=52.45). Participants’ ages ranged from 38 to 47 years, with a predominance of males. Supported employment interventions combined with specific interventions such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Cognitive Remediation were found to improve employment rates. Conclusion: Further studies with greater methodological rigor are needed to confirm the effectiveness of these programs and to support occupational therapy professionals in making evidence-based decisions.