Emerging Themes on Factors Influencing Career and Employment Decisions: Voices of Individuals with Disabilities from Four Gulf Countries

Maha Al-Hendawi (), Colleen A. Thoma, Hawraa Habeeb and Muhammad Salman Khair
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Maha Al-Hendawi: Department of Psychological Sciences, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
Colleen A. Thoma: Department of Counseling and Special Education, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Hawraa Habeeb: Department of Psychological Sciences, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
Muhammad Salman Khair: Department of Psychological Sciences, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar

Social Sciences, 2022, vol. 11, issue 8, 1-18

Abstract: Understanding the range of factors influencing career and employment decisions of individuals with disabilities is crucial for policy makers, businesses, and other stakeholders to support and integrate individuals with disabilities in the economic and social capital of the Arab-Gulf. The purpose of this sttudy was to investigate the factors that influence individuals with disabilities in making decisions about their career and employment. We explore how Arab adults with disabilities explain their career and employment decisions experiences, challenges, and barriers. We interviewed 15 adults with disabilities from four Arab-Gulf countries: Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. Our findings reveal eight factors that influence individuals with disabilities in their decision-making process about work and their future goals. Two distinct emerging themes were identified as influencing career and employment decisions for individuals with disabilities: individual attributes and environmental factors. Self-determination theory guided our analysis for this research study. The study provided in-depth understanding of the factors that impact employment persistence and individuals with disabilities in the Gulf region. The findings from this base-line study has implications for transition and self-determination. Thus, the study discusses ways to improve the quality of services and supports for individuals with disabilities in the Arab-Gulf and their families.

Keywords: disability; employment; career; decision making; self-determination; Arab (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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