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Congruence and attributes of meaning: Community mental health center and vocational rehabilitation personnel

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to investigate similarities and differences between vocational rehabilitation and community mental health center personnel in their perceptions of eight concepts relating to emotional disability, social and vocational adjustment, work, dependence, and agency affiliation, and (2) to provide descriptive information regarding the structure of these helpers' value systems as reflected in their ratings of the eight concepts. Twenty vocational rehabilitation counselors and 20 community mental health workers served as subjects. The semantic differential technique served as the basis for construction of the research instrument. Data were analyzed by means of a two-way analysis of variance for repeated measures. Results indicated that (1) the groups differed in their ratings over all eight concepts, (2) some of the concepts were seen more favorably by both groups than other concepts, but (3) particular concepts did not discriminate between the groups. Findings are discussed and tentative hypotheses are presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Studies in Behavioral Disabilities, University of Wisconsin, 53706, Madison, Wisconsin

    Kenneth R. Thomas Ed.D. (Assistant Professor) &  Anne B. Gottlieb M.S., M.S.S.W., Graduate

  2. School of Social Work, University of Wisconsin, Madison

    Anne B. Gottlieb M.S., M.S.S.W., Graduate

  3. Department of Psychology, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel

    Shlomo P. Kravetz Ph.D. (Assistant Professor)

Authors
  1. Kenneth R. Thomas Ed.D.
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  2. Anne B. Gottlieb M.S., M.S.S.W., Graduate
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  3. Shlomo P. Kravetz Ph.D.
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Additional information

Use of the University of Wisconsin Computer Center was made possible through support of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) through the University of Wisconsin Research Committee.

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Thomas, K.R., Gottlieb, A.B. & Kravetz, S.P. Congruence and attributes of meaning: Community mental health center and vocational rehabilitation personnel. Community Ment Health J 10, 402–408 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01419974

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01419974

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