Predictors of Employment Following Postsecondary Education for Vocational Rehabilitation Participants With Traumatic Brain Injury

The purpose of this study was to identify vocational rehabilitation (VR) services associated with employment outcomes of individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who received college training and increased their highest level of postsecondary education completed. The participants were 1,221 individuals with TBI who increased their highest level of postsecondary education while receiving VR services. A logistic regression model containing five demographic and six VR service variables correctly classified 75.4% of cases as competitively employed or not competitively employed. The model explained approximately 10.0% of the variance in competitive employment. Significant predictors associated with competitive employment were the demographic characteristics of ethnicity and age at application. VR service variables that were significant predictors of competitive employment were (a) vocational rehabilitation counseling and guidance, (b) job readiness training, (c) job placement assistance, and (d) personal assistance services. While demographic characteristics and VR services explained a relatively small proportion of the variance in employment outcomes, more robust measurements of the variables have the potential to enhance prediction of outcomes. Provision of job readiness training and personal assistance services should be investigated further to determine the extent to which they serve as indicators of the presence of additional barriers to competitive employment.