Issue:
The issue at hand is how to enhance the speed of recovery and return to work for injured workers. Longer time away from the workplace results in greater levels of stress, isolation, depression, and financial cost to workers and employers. Empirical evidence exists to suggest that an individual’s ability to withstand and cope in stressful environments and to flourish and find meaning in adversity is a function of their relative level of hardiness or existential courage. The purpose of the project is to explore the relationship between a worker’s speed of recovery and return to work and his or her level of hardiness.
Objectives:
The objective of the research is to determine whether a positive relationship exists between hardiness and rehabilitation. If a positive relationship is found then hardiness may be used as a predictive tool in rehabilitation, as those with high hardiness may recover at a more rapid rate than those with lower hardiness. A rehabilitation strategy might include hardiness training among those assessed with low hardiness.
Anticipated Results:
It is anticipated that the research will demonstrate whether or not a relationship exists between rate and stability of return to work and the level of hardiness. If this relationship is found to be significant, then the next step would be to develop further study to test the implementation of hardiness training in the rehabilitation process to determine if hardiness can be enhanced, and if so, its impact on rehabilitation outcome.
Investigators:
David Malloy (University of Regina)
