[The Significance of Work Motivation for Rehabilitation Success]

Apart from the reduction of symptoms and the restoration of working ability, return to work is a long-term goal of medical rehabilitation. The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of work motivation on the outcome of rehabilitation.

The data basis consists of N=998 patients at the psychosomatic department of the Oberharz Rehabilitation Center as well as data from insurance accounts. Using multiple linear regression analysis the predictive power of work motivation on rehabilitation outcome as well as different facets of work motivation in their function as predictors are analyzed.

Only minor statistical relations could be found between work motivation and rehabilitation success when also taking employment status of the previous year and subjective vocational disability into account. A small predictive power can be attributed to work motivation as a factor in rehabilitation success in the sense of a reduction of symptoms. Particular facets of work motivation are suitable to predict rehabilitation success. Patients with a work motivation risk profile differ from patients with a normal work motivation profile as regards their capacity to work in the year following rehabilitation treatment.

Work motivation represents a relevant construct in rehabilitation success but is strongly influenced by individual factors. During rehabilitation, individual problems which influence work motivation should be taken into account more strongly.