STRATEGIES OF ENHANCING CAREER MAINTENANCE SELF-EFFICACY OF PEOPLE WITH MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS

Self-efficacy theory provides a plausible explanation for the poor car eer maintenance outcomes experienced by people with severe disabilitie s such as multiple sclerosis. An intervention is, therefore, described to increase career maintenance self-efficacy which facilitates proact ive behaviors such as requesting an accommodation review with one's em ployer. This intervention should incorporate cognitive and behavioral strategies such as (a) clarification of the individual's accommodation needs, (b) information on the person's rights to accommodations under the ADA, (c) encouragement in the form of verbal prompts to approach one's employer, and (d) modeling and role playing of socially competen t methods for discussing accommodation needs with one's employer. Sugg estions are provided for evaluating the impact of the intervention on level of situational self-efficacy and accommodation seeking behaviors .