Disability as psychological barrier for employment in Russia, implications for rehabilitation

Abstract

IntroductionIn Russia there was a misconception about employment of people with physical or cognitive disability that served as a psychological barrier for both employers and applicants. The situation has recently changed and special vacancies for invalids are open in some companies. A patient in residual period of traumatic brain injury (2010) attended our rehabilitation center with the request for employment. He grew up in orphanage and he had no experience of searching for vacancies by himself, also he had reduced communication skills. Moreover, TBI resulted in strong executive functions impairment.Objectives and aimHelp V with employment.MethodsHolistic rehabilitation program was developed for V. so he had a training in computer skills, CV writing and communication with employer. Cognitive-behavioral therapy methods were used while working on understanding of his limits and acceptance of his disability, and goal management training was applied to reduce frontal lobes dysfunction.ResultsAfter 1.5 months of counseling V. demonstrated significant improvement. He started to use e-mail and the Internet to find job openings. He was able to keep independent control of his activities. V. managed to accept his disability, so he declared it in his CV – it finally became crucial in his successful employment as clerk in a bank.ConclusionHolistic approach, which includes social work, neuropsychological rehabilitation and psychological support, is promising to overcome psychological barrier in employment of disabled people.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.