Longitudinal studies of disabled persons are relatively uncommon, and studies which have measured objectively the degree to which the disabled sustain their level of functioning after rehabilitation are nonexistent. This study investigated the concept of sustention as it relates to the provision of rehabilitation services. Based on a longitudinal model, a procedure was developed to assess sustention levels and to study possible relationships between sustention and selected client and rehabilitation process variables. The study considered vocational indices of rehabilitation success, as well as social indicators such as family life, community activities, and self-perception. (BH)