Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

6-1983

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major Professor

Gerald Cheek

Committee Members

Roger Frey, Goerge Wiegers Jr., Gerald K. LaBorde

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify interest patterns and occupational theme types of persons who are currently chief administrators of multi-faceted rehabilitation facilities accreditated by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). A normed profile of these individuals was developed utilizing the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII). Comparisons were made within this administrative group for similarities and differences as well as comparisons between the group of public administrators and the general test group. Factors including sex, age, prior work history, educational background, and number years administrative/rehabilitation experience were gathered and tabulated to examine and report the demographic/biographical data factors of this group as it currently exists.

This study dealt only with chief administrators of vocationally orientated CARF accreditated rehabilitation facilities. Of the existing 1,002 CARF accreditated facilities throughout the nation on January 1, 1982, 498 of these facilities were accreditated in two or more vocational program areas, thus meeting the criteria of being multi-faceted facilities. Of this number, 100 chief administrators were randomly selected to participate in this study.

The Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII) was the instrument utilized to develop a normed profile of chief administrator's Occupational Themes, Basic Interest areas, and select information from the Special Scales. The Demographic/Biographical Data Sheet was developed and utilized to gather additional data for comparison purposes.

Data gathered for this study were grouped and analyzed by utilizing the Pearson's r, the independent t-test for large groups, and the analysis of variance.

Conclusions based on the summary of findings are as follows;

1. Chief administrators of CARF accreditated rehabilitation facilities reporting the most job satisfaction were very uncomfortable in academic environments. They were less academically orientated than any comparison group in this study.

2. Chief administrators have an Occupational Theme Code Type of Enterprising, Realistic and Social (E.R.S.) indicating they are well equipped to administer their program in a "business-like" manner.

3. Chief administrators have a very extroverted personality type and are very versatile in their approach to dealing with various tasks.

4. Chief administrators were well educated with 87% of the respondents having at least a bachelor's degree. Sixty-seven percent had a prior work history in the field of human services.

5. Few females are currently employed in this field. Of the respondents from this sample, sixty-six were males and only thirteen were females.

6. Specific in-service and training programs need to be developed to further enhance chief administrators' ability to perform their jobs in the most efficient manner possible.

Recommendations are as follows:

1. Individuals anticipating entering the field of rehabilitation administration should have a prior work experience in some area of Human Services and hold at least a Bachelor's degree and preferably a Master's degree.

2. Potential chief administrators need not be strong academically, but should have a personality type that is very extroverted and should be very versatile in their approach to accomplishing different types of tasks.

3. Individuals anticipating becoming rehabilitation administrators should have an Occupational Theme Code Type of Enterprising, Realistic, and Social (E.R.S.) or a very closely related code type in order to experience success and job satisfaction.

4. Chief administrators must become more "business-like" in their approach to administering their programs. They must also become more politically and legislatively involved in order to help shape the future of their rehabilitation program.

5. Interest inventories such as the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory and similar test instruments should be utilized to a greater degree in assisting individuals to make the correct decision in their occupational choice.

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