Employment barriers and work motivation for Navajo rehabilitation clients

The Navajo nation provides vocational rehabilitation (VR) services to Navajo clients residing on and off the Navajo reservation. To evaluate motivation among disabled Navajo workers participating in VR programs, this study investigated the sociocultural meanings of work and its importance in the self-identity of contemporary Navajo workers and clients who apply for these services. Selected sociocultural variables that focused on cultural identity and perceptions as well as attitudes towards work were included as part of an assessment designed to predict motivation for employment success. The results of this study suggest that VR counsellors who work with Native American clients should recognize sociocultural history and the cultural perceptions of work as important factors in the rehabilitation and vocational planning process.