Employment trajectories of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A 7-year longitudinal study

This study aimed to identify the subtypes of the longitudinal changes in employment profile of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and to examine their determinants. A total of 339 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities from the national panel survey collected from 2016 to 2021 were included for a latent class analysis. The results yielded four latent classes: stable unemployment (64.6%); increasing employment (3.5%); stable employment (23.6%); decreasing employment (8.3%). Using the stable unemployment class as the reference group, several correlates such as age, educational level, interpersonal and communication ability, and access to employment services emerged for the other three employment groups. Greater family support increased the likelihood of membership in the increasing employment class. In contrast, older age, lower family support, and experiences of societal discrimination were significant predictors of membership in the decreasing employment class. This study highlighted the importance of developing tailored interventions based on person-environment fit framework.