Employment status and perceptions of control of adults with cognitive and developmental disabilities

This study was designed to examine the relationship between individual perceptions of control and employment status among adults with cognitive and developmental disabilities. The literature implies that one factor influencing perceptions of quality of life is the amount of control the person experiences across various domains. It was hypothesized that individuals employed in competitive work situations would evidence more positive perceptions of control than would their peers currently unemployed or employed in sheltered settings. Surveys containing the Adult version of the Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Scale and requesting information about age, gender, and employment status were mailed to self-advocacy groups. For the more than 200 respondents, there were significant differences in locus of control scores among individuals employed competitively, individuals employed full-time, respondents in sheltered environments, individuals currently unemployed, and all other groups. Individuals unemployed and employed in sheltered settings perceived themselves as having less control than individuals employed competitively. These results are examined in light of quality of life findings, focusing on the need to include choice and control in programming for people with cognitive and developmental disabilities.