Psychological determinants of job retention in multiple sclerosis

Background:Maintaining paid work is a key issue for people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Different factors, including psychological attributes, can influence job retention. Understanding their role should inform potential interventions to help PwMS retain employment.Objectives:The aim of this study was to identify the key factors which improve job retention in an employed cohort of PwMS.Methods:This three-year longitudinal study used validated self-completed measures of physical and psychological factors at four time points over 28 months.Results:Of 208 employed PwMS, just over 1 in 10 was no longer working at the end of the study. Three variables were predictive of continuing employment; low ‘work instability’ at baseline increased the odds of job retention by a factor of 12.76; high levels of self-efficacy by a factor of 4.66 and being less than 50 years of age increased the odds of job retention by a factor of 3.90. Path analysis demonstrated the mediating role of self-efficacy between the physical i...