Rehabilitation service patterns: A rural/urban comparison of success factors

This study investigated the effect of demographic characteristics and the working alliance between counselor and consumer on employment outcomes for rural and urban consumers with disabilities. A sample of 2031 vocational rehabilitation consumers from urban and rural areas were compared. Results indicated that both urban and rural consumers who had more severe disabilities, were older, and had a weaker working alliance with their counselor experienced poorer employment outcomes. Rural consumers with a severe disability were at a greater employment disadvantage than their urban counterparts. Educational level contributed significantly to predicting employment status for urban participants but not for rural participants. Implications for services are discussed.