The job satisfaction and/or psychological well being of young adults with anintellectual disability and nondisabled young adults in either sheltered employment, competitive employment of unemployment

Abstract

The job satisfaction and/or psychological well being of young adults with an intellectual disability who were either competitively employed, employed in a sheltered workshop or unemployed were examined and compared with the job satisfaction and/or psychological well being of nondisabled young adults who were competitively employed or unemployed.

Administration of a questionnaire to these young adults found that:

• (a)For both those with an intellectual disability and the nondisabled, competitive employment was a more positive alternative than unemployment in terms of psychological well being.

• (b)Those with an intellectual disability generally had lower psychological well being in comparison to the nondisabled regardless of whether they were employed or unemployed.

• (c)For those with an intellectual disability, competitive employment was a more positive alternative to sheltered employment in terms of job satisfaction but not in terms of psychological well being.

• (d)For those with an intellectual disability, self esteem in competitive and sheltered employment were similar and higher than in unemployment.