The foundation of a rehabilitation center for schizophrenics annexed to the Psychiatric University Clinic of Vienna in 1963 initiated a systematic readaptation strategy for these patients all over Austria. The main task of these rehabilitation units is to evaluate the working and social capacities after acute illness episodes, to motivate the patient to accept professional activities and living conditions adapted to their health state through reinforcement of special competences, to replace inadequate attribution and coping styles by appropriate behavior patterns and to enhance compliance for necessary drug treatment. During the rehabilitation period the families are systematically prepared to live with the patients. In accordance with the obtained level of rehabilitation the patients are then either reintegrated into their family and/or normal professional conditions or placed in special settings (homes, sheltered workshops). A long-term followup is assured.

This study examined personality characteristics of undergraduate and graduate students in rehabilitation counselling programs. Cluster analysis of 204 NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) personality profiles of these students indicated a three-cluster solution as optimal. These three personality clusters were identified as the Therapist Personality cluster, Case Manager Personality cluster, and the Sensitive Personality cluster. Implications for rehabilitation job roles, rehabilitation education, and counselling are discussed.

This study investigated the rehabilitation and services needs, rehabilitation goals and barriers of individuals with brain injury (n = 81, males = 59%, females = 41%, age range 18 to 87), and their family members (n = 19; females = 75%, age range 18 to 65), (ethnicity = white = 89%). Data were collected using a survey instrument and focus group interviews. A descriptive analysis of the quantitative data was conducted, while content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. Results suggest that individuals with brain injury and their families experience many unmet needs across the domains of employment, independent living, financial resources and housing. Family involvement was found to be important to community participation after brain injury.