Barriers to Workplace Reintegration Following Psychiatric Rehabilitation: A Psychological Perspective
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Abstract
Reintegration into the workplace following psychiatric rehabilitation remains one of the most persistent challenges in mental health recovery, with implications for identity, financial security, and long-term psychological well-being. This study examined the psychological barriers that hinder successful workplace reintegration among individuals who had completed a structured psychiatric rehabilitation program. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional design, data were collected from 150 participants (68 men, 82 women) who had undergone psychiatric treatment and rehabilitation within the preceding two years. Standardized instruments measured self-stigma, psychological distress, perceived organizational support, self-efficacy, perceived workplace barriers, and work reintegration readiness. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27, employing descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression. Results indicated that self-stigma (r = -.61, p < .001), psychological distress (r = -.58, p < .001), and perceived workplace barriers (r = -.55, p < .001) were significantly negatively associated with work reintegration readiness, while self-efficacy (r = .55, p < .001) and perceived organizational support (r = .40, p < .001) were significant positive correlates. Multiple regression analysis revealed that self-stigma, psychological distress, and self-efficacy were the strongest independent predictors of reintegration readiness, with the full set of predictors accounting for approximately 53.5% of the variance in reintegration readiness (R² = .535, adjusted R² = .519, F(5, 144) = 33.13, p < .001). No statistically significant differences were found across gender or diagnostic categories. These findings underscore that reintegration barriers are not solely structural but substantially psychological, rooted in internalized stigma, diminished self-efficacy, and unresolved distress. Implications for psychologically informed vocational rehabilitation, organizational policy, and future research are discussed.
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