What Individual, Provider, and Community Characteristics Predict Employment of Individuals With Mental Retardation?

Abstract

Characteristics influencing employment of individuals with mental retardation were analyzed to evaluate employment rates for county providers. Participants in the sample (N = 11,743) earned at least $50 per week for a 6-month period. Good physical and emotional health, being male, age between 18 and 49, IQ between 50 and 75, and good adaptive skills were associated with employment. Eighteen percent of the variability in employment rates was explained by the ratio of individuals served by the Boards to the county population and the percentage of the county population living in rural settings. Median income, unemployment rates, and poverty explained 22% of the variance in noncompetitive employment rates. Results suggest that health promotion programs could help individuals with mental retardation obtain and sustain employment.