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Childhood-onset disability, strong ties and employment quality

David Baldridge (Department of Management, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA)
Alison M. Konrad (Richard Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada)
Mark E. Moore (East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA)
Yang Yang (Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey, USA)

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

ISSN: 2040-7149

Article publication date: 15 May 2017

406

Abstract

Purpose

Persons with childhood-onset disabilities are among the most marginalized populations, often unemployed or underemployment in jobs providing neither adequate hours for financial self-sufficiency nor fulfillment through skill-utilization. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which social capital in the form of strong ties with family and friends is associated with enhanced employment outcomes for persons with childhood-onset disabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

Questioning the current theoretical consensus that strong social ties are unimportant to employment quality, the authors draw on disability research and opportunity, motivation and ability social capital theory to propose a model of the impact of strong ties with family and friends on paid-work-hours and skill-utilization as well as the potential moderating role of gender and disability severity. The authors then test this model using data from 1,380 people with childhood-onset disabilities and OLS regression analysis.

Findings

As theorized, family-of-origin-size is positively associated with hours worked. Family-of-origin-size is also associated with having more close friends and children. These strong ties, in turn, are positively associated with hours worked. The impact of having more children on hours worked and skill-utilization, however, is positive for men but non-significant for women.

Originality/value

This study breaks new ground by focusing on the association between strong ties with family and friends and employment quality for people with childhood-onset disabilities – a marginalized and understudied group. Findings further indicate the particular vulnerability of women with disabilities.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Alison M. Konrad appreciates support for this research from Insight Grant No. 435-2012-0284 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada (SSRCC) and from the Corus Entertainment Chair in Women in Management, Ivey Business School.

Citation

Baldridge, D., Konrad, A.M., Moore, M.E. and Yang, Y. (2017), "Childhood-onset disability, strong ties and employment quality", Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Vol. 36 No. 4, pp. 290-305. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-11-2016-0093

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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