Job Satisfaction, Self-Efficacy, and Work Environment among Military Veterans with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

The current study examined the moderating effects of confidence to make career decisions and job environment on the relationship between ADHD symptoms and job satisfaction among military veterans. A total of 263 participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the ADHD Self-Report Scale, Career Decision Self-Efficacy Short-Form, Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire Short-Form, Michigan Alcohol Screening Test, Drug Abuse Screening Test-10, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. A hierarchical regression with ADHD symptoms, career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE), and work environment predicting job satisfaction after controlling for symptoms of depression revealed that symptoms of ADHD significantly predicted job satisfaction after controlling for depression and CDMSE further improved the explanatory power of the predictive model. However, the relationship between ADHD symptom level and job satisfaction was not significantly more negative for participants with lower levels of CDMSE compared to those with higher levels of CDMSE after controlling for depression. A 2x2 between subjects ANOVA, used to examine differences in job satisfaction as a function of ADHD status and job environment, did not produce significant differences in the importance of work environment for job satisfaction as a function of ADHD symptoms. An additional hierarchical regression predicting job satisfaction revealed a marginally significant interaction between CDMSE and realistic work environment among participants with ADHD after controlling for depression. Helping professionals can improve the vocational adjustment of veterans by assessing attention deficits and utilizing interventions designed to increase CDMSE. Future research needs to examine the impact of the six Holland types on veteran career satisfaction separately to better understand their impact on veteran vocational development.