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Perceived Cognitive Difficulties and Cognitive Test Performance as Predictors of Employment Outcomes in People with Multiple Sclerosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 March 2015

Cynthia A. Honan ,
Rhonda F. Brown  and
Jennifer Batchelor
Cynthia A. Honan*
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Rhonda F. Brown
Affiliation:
College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
Jennifer Batchelor
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Cynthia Honan, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, NSW, 2052. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Perceived cognitive difficulties and cognitive impairment are important determinants of employment in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). However, it is not clear how they are related to adverse work outcomes and whether the relationship is influenced by depressive symptoms. Thus, this study examined perceived and actual general cognitive and prospective memory function, and cognitive appraisal accuracy, in relation to adverse work outcomes. The possible mediating and/or moderating role of depression was also examined. A cross-sectional community-based sample of 111 participants (33 males, 78 females) completed the Multiple Sclerosis Work Difficulties Questionnaire (MSWDQ), Beck Depression Inventory – Fast Screen (BDI-FS), and questions related to their current or past employment. They then underwent cognitive testing using the Screening Examination for Cognitive Impairment, Auditory Consonant Trigrams test, Zoo Map Test, and Cambridge Prospective Memory Test. Perceived general cognitive and prospective memory difficulties in the workplace and performance on the respective cognitive tests were found to predict unemployment and reduced work hours since MS diagnosis due to MS. Depression was also related to reduced work hours, but it did not explain the relationship between perceived cognitive difficulties and the work outcomes. Nor was it related to cognitive test performance. The results highlight a need to address the perceptions of cognitive difficulties together with cognitive impairment and levels of depression in vocational rehabilitation programs in pwMS. (JINS, 2015, 21, 156–168)

Keywords

Multiple sclerosisCognitionSubjective cognitionSelf-awarenessDepressionEmployment outcomes
Type
Research Articles
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , February 2015 , pp. 156 - 168
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2015 

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