Underlying Dimensions of Barriers and Facilitators to Employment among Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis

Background Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is characterized by a set of physical and cognitive symptoms, multiple barriers to employment, and an employment rate well below the general population. It is important to identify the dimensions of barriers to employment after MS as a step in streamlining vocational counseling and promoting optimal employment outcomes. Objective Our purpose was to identify the underlying dimensions of perceived barriers to employment for people with MS. Method A 31-item self-report instrument was administered to 1,263 adults with MS identified from a specialty hospital in the southeastern USA. Exploratory principal axis factor analysis with varimax rotation was applied to 31 items to identify the underlying themes. Results Three themes emerged from exploratory factor analysis (RMSEA = 0.055). The first theme aligns with fatigue and health related factors, which accounted for a majority of the variance in the model (40% of variance). The second theme aligns with participants’ motivation or interest in employment (20% of variance). The final theme corresponds to job/disability fit and access, including difficulties with attendant care and wheelchair accessibility (18% of variance). Conclusion These factors offer vocational counselors a concise set of barriers to employment to consider with vocational planning, supports, and placement.