From Neuroskeptic: The British government is launching a new initiative, the “Health and Work Conversation,” a one-hour conversation in which welfare claimants receiving financial support due to disability are encouraged to seek whatever work they are able to do. The training material for “work coaches,” who conduct these interviews, cites vague, imprecise neuroscience research to back up its claims that developing “growth mindset” may help disabled people gain work opportunities.
“The training material refers heavily to ‘growth mindsets’. This psychological model, which Neuroskeptic readers may be familar with, originated from research on schoolchildren. According to mindset theorists, children who believe that success is a product of effort have a ‘growth mindset’, and these children try harder and perform better than those who believe talent determines success (‘fixed mindset’).
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In summary, the HWC training slides discuss psychology and neuroscience, but as far as I can see this is little more than window-dressing. The basic message to be conveyed to sick people seems to be ‘yes, even you can get a job!'”
