Publications

 

Published Manuscripts

Baldwin ML. “The Three C’s of Disclosing Serious Mental Illness at Work: Control, Conditions, Costs.” Psychiatric Services 72 (March 2021): 344-346.

This article describes a framework for analyzing factors that influence an individual’s decision to disclose serious mental illness in the competitive workplace. The disclosure decision is multifaceted, organized in dimensions of control, conditions, and costs. Control refers to the extent to which a mental illness is concealable, so that a worker may choose whether to disclose. The conditions workers impose on disclosure determine when, to whom, and how much they choose to say.

 

Baldwin ML, DeSerpa AC, Marcus SC. “Workplace Disclosure of Serious Mental Illness: Theory and Evidence.” Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics 26 (March 2023): 3-17.

This article analyzes the association between workplace disclosure of SMI and the probability of gainful employment. We specify a theoretical framework in which the decision to disclose is influenced by its anticipated effects on employment, and estimate a model in which the probabilities of disclosure and gainful employment are determined jointly. The results show a strong positive association between disclosure and gainful employment, when the model controls for workers’ expectations regarding the response to disclosure.

 

White RMB, Baldwin ML, Cang X. “Worker Perspectives on Workplace Disclosure of Serious Mental Illness and Their Employers’ Responses.” Qualitative Health Research 33 (May 2023): 481-495.

This article describes contexts in which workers disclose mental illness to an employer, and employer responses to disclosure, as perceived by the worker. We identify 5 mutually exclusive disclosure contexts: seeking accommodations; seeking understanding; seeking protection from disciplinary action; involuntary exposure; symptom-based inquiries. We identify 8 employer responses, which may co-occur: compassion; understanding; help with job tasks; emotions (e.g. surprise); stigma toward mental illness; mechanization (i.e. following rules without engagement); respect (or lack of respect) for confidentiality; threat (either present or subsiding).

 

In the News

ASU health economist studies effects of mental illness disclosure in the workplace