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Multitasking in Multiple Sclerosis: Can It Inform Vocational Functioning?
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Multitasking in Multiple Sclerosis: Can It Inform Vocational Functioning?

Chelsea L. Morse, Maria T. Schultheis, Joshua D. McKeever and Thomas Leist
Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, v 94(12), pp 2509-2514
Dec 2013
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2013.06.033
PMID: 23924438
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel

Abstract

Cognition Employment Multiple sclerosis Neuropsychology Rehabilitation
To examine associations between multitasking ability defined by performance on a complex task integrating multiple cognitive domains and vocational functioning in multiple sclerosis (MS). Survey data collection. Laboratory with referrals from an outpatient clinic. Community-dwelling individuals with MS (N=30) referred between October 2011 and June 2012. Not applicable. The modified Six Elements Test (SET) to measure multitasking ability, Fatigue Severity Scale to measure fatigue, several neuropsychological measures of executive functioning, and vocational status. Among the sample, 60% of individuals have reduced their work hours because of MS symptoms (cutback employment group) and 40% had maintained their work hours. Among both groups, SET performance was significantly associated with performance on several measures of neuropsychological functioning. Individuals in the cutback employment group demonstrated significantly worse overall performance on the SET (P=.041). Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between SET performance and vocational status, while accounting for neuropsychological performance and fatigue. The overall model was significant (χ23=8.65, P=.032), with fatigue [Exp(B)=.83, P=.01] and multitasking ability [Exp(B)=.60, P=.043] retained as significant predictors. Multitasking ability may play an important role in performance at work for individuals with MS. Given that multitasking was associated with vocational functioning, future efforts should assess the usefulness of incorporating multitasking ability into rehabilitation planning.

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12 citations in Web of Science
12 citations in Scopus

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#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Rehabilitation
Sport Sciences
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