R1: Abstract

Research has documented that inequitable patterns of VR service delivery exist for ethnic minorities and suggested that they are less likely to be accepted to rehabilitation services as compared to Caucasians. In addition, services to culturally diverse consumers are more likely to end without achieving successful employment or result in lower earnings than Caucasians. Racial biases have also been found to affect the clinical judgment of practicing rehabilitation counselors. Therefore, this study is designed to examine service patterns of vocational rehabilitation consumers using information from 911 data.

Collaborators: East Carolina University and University of Wisconsin at Madison

R2: Abstract

In this age of increasing financial, policy-related, and operational challenges, it has become important to the use rehabilitation models to validate the effectiveness of different culturally-sensitive vocational rehabilitation practices. Current research in working alliance will serve as the foundation for conducting this line of enquiry. The rationale is that cultural biases-racial stereotypes can be made explicit in a working alliance model via the discrepancies in VR expectancies between counselors and consumers.

Collaborators: East Carolina University and University of Wisconsin at Madison

R3 - Part I: Abstract

The two existing models of job placement, the selective and the client-centered approaches, are riddled with inadequacies when dealing with consumers of diverse culture. The problem is that many aspects of human organizational and environmental interaction are not taken into account. Therefore, there exists a need to generate a systems theory designed to holistically address the individualized vocational rehabilitation needs of people with disabilities.

Collaborators: Southern University and University of Memphis

R3 - Part II: Abstract

Disability, combined with gender, age, race, and/or secondary disability, places a person at a severe labor market disadvantage. Researchers in vocational rehabilitation have addressed issues related to return to work, but largely in conjunction with job placement activities. In addition, the question of what factors optimize the engagement of persons with disabilities in competitive employment remains vaguely answered. Therefore, the focus of this study is to develop a culturally sensitive instrument designed to evaluate the vocational rehabilitation needs of consumers with disabilities and plan therapeutic interventions.

Collaborators:  University of Memphis and Southern University

R4: Abstract

There is a severe dearth of investigations focused on the identification of culturally-driven factors influencing the choice of rehabilitation research as a career. As a direct consequence, public opinion of relevant issues is highly stereotypical and largely misleading. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to systematically identify the perceptual factors that influence perception of disability research among minority scholars and innovative culturally appropriate methods of outreaching,  recruiting, training, and retaining individuals from diverse ethnicity in rehabilitation research.

Researcher: Southern University