Identifying Return to Work Self-Efficacy Trajectories in Employees with Mental Health Problems.
Lena Horn, Maitta Spronken, Evelien P M Brouwers and 2 others
PMID 33978874WHAT IT FOUND
Employees with mental health problems follow six distinct self-efficacy trajectories.
Those with anxiety disorders were more likely to experience decreasing confidence and lower return-to-work rates. Younger employees and those with stress-related issues showed increasing confidence. This suggests tailored support is needed rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Key findings
01Six distinct trajectories of return-to-work self-efficacy were identified, ranging from persistently high to decreasing scores.
02Employees in the trajectory with decreasing self-efficacy had significantly higher rates of anxiety disorders and lower full return-to-work rates at 12 months.
03Younger employees were more likely to follow trajectories with increasing self-efficacy, while those with stress-related disorders were more likely to maintain high self-efficacy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The sample size was relatively small, particularly for the two smallest trajectories, which may have reduced the power to detect differences. The exact timing of return to work was not known, as it was only assessed at questionnaire intervals, making it difficult to determine if changes in self-efficacy preceded or followed return-to-work events. Data were collected as part of a different trial, so some relevant variables like specific treatment received or motivational aspects were not measured. The follow-up period was limited to 12 months, so long-term sustainability of work resumption could not be evaluated.
Declared interests
Funding was provided by ZonMw (Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development). No other conflicts of interest were reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the association between anxiety disorders and decreasing self-efficacy as evidence that treating anxiety alone will improve return-to-work outcomes. The study design is observational and cannot establish causality; decreasing self-efficacy may be a consequence of workplace stressors rather than solely a function of the mental health diagnosis.