VOCATIONAL NEEDS AND SATISFACTION OF SUPPORTED EMPLOYEES - THE APPLICABILITY OF THE THEORY OF WORK ADJUSTMENT

Modified instruments based on the theory of work adjustment were used (a) to identify the vocational needs and satisfaction of 45 supported employees with mental retardation and 45 nondisabled co-workers and (b ) to test the theory's proposition that need-reinforcer correspondence predicts satisfaction. There were more similarities than differences between the two groups in the importance and satisfaction of the 17 ne eds that were examined; 13 of 17 needs and 9 of 17 facets of job satis faction did not show significant differences. Limited support for the correspondence-satisfaction relation was found for supported employees , but not for their co-workers. We concluded that the constructs and m easures of the theory of work adjustment can be relevant tools in voca tional counseling with workers with mental retardation in supported em ployment programs. (C) 1997 Academic Press.