Effectiveness of vocational problem-solving skills on motivation and job-seeking action steps

Most research on employment interventions focuses on job acquisition as the sole outcome measure, despite the fact that there are many intermediate steps to obtaining work. This article examines the impact of a vocational problem solving skills (VPSS) intervention to increase motivation and action step activities that lead to employment. Over a 1-year period between 1995 and 1996, a sample of 109 methadone maintained treatment clients were randomly assigned to either a 10-session vocational problem solving intervention (N= 62) or a time and attention control condition (N=47). The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and a Vocational Motivational Assessment Checklist (VMAC) were administered upon enrollment in the study and at 6 months postbaseline. The VMAC was completed on a biweekly basis over the 12-week intervention period. The VMAC measures both the behavioral actions to obtain employment (e.g., reading want ads, completing job applications) and client perceived motivation to obtain a job. There were no differences by condition in the level of motivation to secure employment and the number of job seeking activities during the intervention period. However, motivation to work and number of action steps did predict obtaining employment for the sample as a whole at the 6-month follow-up. Although the intervention did not increase motivation and job seeking activities, information regarding reasonable outcomes for this population of chronically unemployed persons was identified. Also, practical and methodological implications are discussed.