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Vocational engagement among young people entering mental health treatment compared with their general population peers
Author(s) -
Caruana Emma,
Farhall John,
Cotton Susan M.,
Parrish Emma,
vanderEL Kristi,
Davey Christopher G.,
Chanen Andrew M.,
Bryce Shayden D.,
Killackey Eoin,
Allott Kelly
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
early intervention in psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.087
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1751-7893
pISSN - 1751-7885
DOI - 10.1111/eip.12712
Subject(s) - vocational education , disengagement theory , mental health , population , unemployment , audit , medicine , intervention (counseling) , demography , psychology , young adult , gerontology , psychiatry , environmental health , pedagogy , management , sociology , economics , economic growth
Aim To compare rates of vocational engagement for youth entering specialist mental health treatment with the general population. Methods A file audit retrieved vocational data for 145 youth aged 15 to 25 entering treatment. Clinical and population data were stratified by age and sex and compared between cohorts. Results Compared to the population, young people entering mental health treatment were less likely to have completed at least Year 11 in school (77% vs 42%, P < 0.001); and demonstrated higher rates of “Not in Education, Employment or Training” (9% vs 33%, P < 0.001). Individuals aged 15 to 18 years entering treatment experienced greater rates of educational disengagement than the population (30% vs 11%, P < 0.001), whereas people aged 19 to 25 years showed higher unemployment rates (52% vs 35%, P = 0.003). Conclusions Youth entering specialist mental health treatment have marked levels of vocational disengagement compared to demographically‐matched peers. Early vocational intervention for these young people is essential.