Saunders Sara, Nedelec Bernadette, MacEachen Ellen
a Occupational Therapy Program , McGill University , Montreal , Canada.
b School of Public Health and Health Systems , University of Waterloo , Waterloo , Canada.
Disabil Rehabil. 2018 Sep;40(18):2144-2151. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2017.1327986. Epub 2017 May 24.
Although work has been found to be meaningful and a source of motivation to return to work in certain disabled populations, it was unclear if this was also true for people experiencing a long period of unemployment and job loss due to a musculoskeletal injury. Therefore, the aim of this phenomenological study was to explore the meaning of work for those with chronic work disability due to a musculoskeletal injury.
The data from 27 interviews, conducted with 9 participants, was analyzed using the Empirical Phenomenological Psychological method.
Work remained central to the lives of the participants and aligned with previous valued work outcomes and goals regardless of the amount of time away from work. These findings point to the importance of recognizing the ongoing centrality of work for those with chronic work disability and the importance of tapping into work values and beliefs to provide workers with the motivation needed to get past physical and systemic barriers to return to work.
This study shows that a shift in focus back to meaning not only has benefits for people with chronic work disability, but for occupational therapists in their ability to make a unique and effective contribution to the field of work disability. Implications for rehabilitation The chronic work disabled population remains one of the most challenging to return to work. Reflection on the meaning of work provides motivation needed for clients to overcome barriers to work including chronic pain. Exploring meaning is not difficult or time consuming in vocational rehabilitation.
尽管已发现工作具有意义，且是某些残疾人群体重返工作岗位的动力来源，但对于因肌肉骨骼损伤而长期失业和失去工作的人而言，情况是否如此尚不清楚。因此，这项现象学研究的目的是探讨因肌肉骨骼损伤导致慢性工作残疾的人对工作的意义。
采用实证现象学心理学方法，对9名参与者进行的27次访谈数据进行分析。
工作在参与者的生活中仍然至关重要，无论离开工作岗位的时间长短，都与之前重视的工作成果和目标相一致。这些发现表明，认识到工作对慢性工作残疾者持续的核心重要性，以及挖掘工作价值观和信念以为劳动者提供克服身体和系统性障碍重返工作岗位所需动力的重要性。
本研究表明，将关注点重新转向意义不仅对慢性工作残疾者有益，而且对职业治疗师在工作残疾领域做出独特而有效贡献的能力也有益。对康复的启示 慢性工作残疾人群体仍然是最难重返工作岗位的群体之一。思考工作的意义为客户克服包括慢性疼痛在内的工作障碍提供了所需的动力。在职业康复中探索意义并不困难，也不耗时。
