Vocational Evaluation and Employment Outcomes

Abstract

Despite its apparent important function in the vocational rehabilitation process, results from outcome studies continue to raise questions as to the validity of the claims that vocational evaluation improves employment outcomes among those who use vocational rehabilitation services.The purpose of this study was to ascertain the extent to which vocational evaluation recommendations correlate with successful employment outcomes of those receivingservices through the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services. Participants for the study included 400 randomly selected, closed cases from 2009 and 2010. Descriptive statistics were used to determine congruence between vocational evaluation recommendations, individual plan for employment goals, and employment outcomes. Logistic regression procedures were used to determine which demographic variable(s) best predicts congruence.