Koene J, Maassen E, van Lang N, van der Stel J, Kupka R, van Weeghel J, Kroon H
University of Applied Sciences Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Tranzo, scientific centre for care and wellbeing, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Int J Bipolar Disord. 2025 Mar 20;13(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s40345-025-00380-z.
Employment is a challenging life domain for individuals with bipolar disorder (BD), illustrated by high unemployment numbers and various experienced problems within the workplace. While regaining a satisfactory level of occupational functioning is an important aspect of recovery, there is little qualitative research exploring occupational recovery in individuals with BD. The aim of this qualitative study was first to gain insight into the (self-regulation) strategies used by patients and peer support workers with BD type I (BD-I) regarding their occupational functioning. Our second aim was to construct a conceptual model based on these strategies used to better understand how individuals with BD-I might recover during their occupational functioning. In our study, inspired by Glaser and Strauss' constructivist Grounded Theory, we interviewed 21 patients and 15 peer support workers with BD-I about their experiences in occupational functioning and about the strategies they use for dealing with difficulties, as well as their occupational recovery processes. We analysed the data through open, axial, and selective coding.
The results showed one overarching theme and three subthemes of strategies used by individuals with BD-I: (1) organizing work, (2) self-regulatory actions in relation to employment, and (3) getting support. Based on the narratives of the participants, a conceptual model was found in which differing strategies are used based on the recovery process: acute mood episode or longer lasting recovery process.
The narratives of individuals with BD-I show that two types of recovery can be experienced in relation to work: recovery after an acute mood episode and a longer lasting recovery process that is intertwined with several aspects of daily working life. We identified three different types of strategies that participants with BD-I implement to create a fitting employment situation and that it might depend on the type of recovery process which strategies are most helpful.
就业对于双相情感障碍（BD）患者来说是一个具有挑战性的生活领域，高失业率以及在工作场所遇到的各种问题都说明了这一点。虽然恢复到令人满意的职业功能水平是康复的一个重要方面，但很少有定性研究探讨双相情感障碍患者的职业康复情况。这项定性研究的目的首先是深入了解患有I型双相情感障碍（BD-I）的患者和同伴支持工作者在职业功能方面所使用的（自我调节）策略。我们的第二个目的是基于这些使用的策略构建一个概念模型，以更好地理解BD-I患者在职业功能过程中可能如何康复。在我们的研究中，受格拉泽和施特劳斯的建构主义扎根理论启发，我们采访了21名患有BD-I的患者和15名同伴支持工作者，了解他们在职业功能方面的经历、处理困难所使用的策略以及他们的职业康复过程。我们通过开放编码、轴心编码和选择性编码对数据进行了分析。
结果显示了BD-I患者使用的一个总体主题和三个子主题策略：（1）组织工作，（2）与就业相关的自我调节行动，以及（3）获得支持。基于参与者的叙述，发现了一个概念模型，其中根据康复过程使用不同的策略：急性情绪发作或持续时间更长的康复过程。
BD-I患者的叙述表明，在工作方面可以经历两种类型的康复：急性情绪发作后的康复以及与日常工作生活的几个方面交织在一起的持续时间更长的康复过程。我们确定了BD-I患者为创造合适的就业状况而实施的三种不同类型的策略，并且最有帮助的策略可能取决于康复过程的类型。
