The effect of work on people with severe mental illness: An exploratory study of Chinese people in Taiwan using stress-social support theories

This study used one-on-one survey method to examine whether people with severe mental illness who worked felt better satisfied with their quality of life than did their counterparts who did not work among Chinese people with severe mental illness living Southern Taiwan. The study introduced using stress-social support model, as a conceptual framework for predicting satisfaction with quality of life for people with severe mental illness. Using multiple regression models, the seven categories of predictive factors were analyzed for their effects on life quality of life outcome indictors. Predictors included: socio-demographic characteristics, mental illness history, work history, current work status variables (as controls), stress variable, social support variable, and job satisfaction variable. Quality of life outcomes included: living arrangements, finance, leisure time, family relationship, social relationship, and health. Findings indicated that better satisfaction with quality of life among people with severe mental illness in Kaohsiung didn't explain by their current work status but explained by stress-social support model. Based on these findings, the implications for research, social policy, and mental health practice are discussed.