Individualni i kontekstualni činioci zaopšljavanja slepih i slabovidih osoba

Abstract

U radu je proučavan niz faktora, koji mogu uticati na uspeh ili neuspeh u zapošljavanju slepih i slabovidih osoba. U uvodnom delu rada dat je prikaz novijih domaćih i inostranih istraživanja, koja se bave problematikom zapošljavanja slepih i slabovidih osoba, kao i ekološki model razvoja karijere (Hershenson i Szymanski, 1992), koji je poslužio kao teorijski okvir realizovanog istraživanja. U ekološkom modelu razvoj karijere je predstavljen kao složeni proces, koji je određen stalnom, dinamičkom interakcijom nekoliko konstrukata: kontekst, lične karakteristike, posredujući faktori, sredina i ishod, kao i procesa, koji utiču na interakciju navedenih konstrukata: kongruentnost, proces donošenja odluka, razvoj, socijalizacija, usmeravanje, prilike i mogućnosti. Istraživanje je imalo za cilj da identifikuje relevantne individualne, kontekstualne i sredinske faktore za uspeh u zapošljavanju osoba oštećenog vida, odnosno da istraži da li postoji specifičan set varijabli, na osnovu kojih se može predvideti da li će osoba oštećenog vida biti zaposlena ili ne. Dodatni cilj istraživanje bio je da se, bar delimično, rasvetle procesi, putem kojih definisani set varijabli utiče na konačni ishod – zaposlenost ili nezaposlenost slepih i slabovidih osoba. Istraživanje je obavljeno u dve faze. Kvantitativna faza istraživanja bila je primarno usmerena ka prikupljanju kvantitativnih podataka o konstruktima opisanim ekološkim modelom razvoja karijere, dok je kvalitativna faza prvenstveno bila usmerena ka prikupljanju kvalitativnih podataka o procesima definisanim ovim modelom. U kvantitativnoj fazi istraživanja učestvovalo je 105 slepih i slabovidih osoba (članova Gradske organizacije slepih Beograd), uzrasta 25 to 50 godina. Uzorkom je bilo obuhvaćeno 44 zaposlenih ispitanika (42%) i 61 (58%) nezaposlenih ispitanika. U ovoj fazi istraživanja, telefonskim putem je primenjen upitnik, koji se sastojao od kombinacije nekoliko standardizovanih skala i pitanja, specijalno konstruisanih za potrebe ovog istraživanja. U kvalitativnoj fazi istraživanja učestvovalo je 12 ispitanika (7 zaposlenih i 5 nezaposlenih), koji su ispitivani primenom telefonskog dubinskog polustrukturiranog intervjua. Dobijeni rezultati istraživanja potvrdili su važnost svakog od pojedinih konstrukata i procesa opisanih ekološkim modelom za profesionalni razvoj slepih i slabovidih osoba, ali i otvorili prostor za dodatnu diskusiju o potencijalnoj reviziji modela. Rezultati kvantitativne faze istraživanja ukazali su na značajne razlike između zaposlenih i nezaposlenih slepih i slabovidih ispitanika. Primenom metode logističke regresije, kao najznačajniji faktori rizika za neuspeh u procesu traženja posla, izdvojili su se sledeći faktori: niska motivacija za rad, ženski pol, nizak stepen doživljene samoefikasnosti u prevladavanju prepreka za zapošljavanje i niska porodična očekivanja za uspeh u zapošljavanju. Kombinacija kvantitativnih i kvalitativnih rezultata, ukazuje na poseban značaj dominantnih negativnih društvenih stavova prema invaliditetu, kao i izuzetno nepovoljnu ekonomsku realnost u zemlji, kao sredinske i posredujuće konstrukte od izuzetne važnosti za status zaposlenosti ili nezaposlenosti, kao ishoda u profesionalnom razvoju slepih i slabovidih osoba. U završnom delu rada razmatraju se predlozi za reviziju ekološkog modela razvoja karijere i praktične implikacije nalaza istraživanja

This research study was focused on exploring various factors related to the successful employment of blind and visually impaired persons. The introductory part of the study presents an overview of recent domestic and foreign research aimed at exploring employment related issues relevant to blind and visually impaired individuals, as well as an overview of an ecological model of career development (Hershenson and Szymanski, 1992). The ecological model of career development was used as a theoretical framework for the current study. This model suggests that career development is a complex process determined by the dynamic interaction of the individual, contextual, mediating, environmental and outcome factors and six groups of processes: development, decision making, congruence, socialization, allocation and chance. The primary goal of the study was to identify individual, contextual and environmental factors related to the successful employment of blind and visually impaired persons, and more specifically significant predictive and/or risk factors for the employment outcomes of this population. The second goal of the study was to learn more about the processes, which are facilitating the employment outcomes – employment or unemployment of blind and visually impaired individuals. The first, quantitative phase of the study was primarily focused on exploring the five constructs described by the ecological model of career development. The second, qualitative phase of the study was focused on investigating the six groups of processes described by the ecological model of career development. The sample in the quantitative phase of the study consisted of 105 blind and visually impaired individuals (members of the Belgrade city organization of the blind). Participants ranged in age from 25 to 50 years. Forty four participants (42%) were employed and sixty one (58%) were unemployed. A questionnaire, which included a combination of questions specially created for the purpose of the study and a few standardized scales, was used to collect data in the quantitative phase of the study. Participants were interviewed over the telephone. In-depth, semi-structured phone interviews were used to collect data in the qualitative phase of the study. Twelve participants (7 employed and 5 unemployed) participated in this phase. The results of the study provided not only ample evidence of the five constructs and six processes described in the ecological model of career develoment of blind and visually impaired persons, but also support for dissusing further revision of the model. The findings from the quantitative phase of the study indicated that there were significant differences between employed and unemployed blind and visually impaired participants. The results of logistic regression suggested that the most significant risk factors for unemployment as an outcome variable were: low motivation for work, being female, low level of self-efficacy in dealing with employment barriers, and low level of parental expectations related to the sucsessful employment. Collectively, the quantitative and qualitative findings suggest that dominant negative social attitudes towards disability and the extremely unfavorable economic reality in the country play a very important role as environmental and mediating factors in influencing career development and employment outcomes for blind and visually impaired individuals. Based on the results of the study, suggestions for a revised ecological model of career development and practical implications are presented and discussed in the final section of this paper.