Modifying (Phase I) and Evaluating (Phase II) Virtual Reality Job Interview Training for Youth in Transition

Summary

The unemployment rate is quite high among adults with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Inadequate transition planning during high school and gaps between vocational needs and availability of evidence-based services help explain the struggles of transition-age youth at obtaining employment. There is a paucity of research on developing and evaluating services to support the transition to the work force after graduating from high school. The lack of available resources to support transition-age youth with an ASD speaks to the need to develop interventions that ameliorate obstacles to employment and help support the transition to the work force. Due to the social deficits characterizing ASD innovative interventions could target preparing job interview skills for students facing the transition to employment as the job interview is a critical gateway to securing a job offer. Thus, the overarching goal of this study is to modify an existing virtual reality job interview skills training program for use in high school students with ASD and to test the feasibility and effectiveness of conducting this intervention in a high school setting via a small controlled trial. Thus, study's first aim is to modify the existing 'Virtual Reality Job Interview Training' program to meet the specific needs of high school seniors with ASD. This will accomplish this by conducting in depth interviews with high school students with ASD and their vocational counselors to solicit feedback to modify the current training's learning goals, content, usability, and simulated interview scripts to meet the specific needs of transition age youth. An expert panel will determine the final modifications to the training program based on the results of the qualitative data analysis and their own views of the program. Second aim of the study is to conduct a pilot trial to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, portability, fidelity and preliminary effectiveness of the modified intervention in a randomized controlled trial. This study will also explore potential mechanisms for effectiveness and collect pilot implementation data.

Conditions

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Virtual Reality Job Interview Training

Students will engage in didactic training related to strategies to perform well during a job interview as well as repeated practice with a virtual hiring manager. Throughout and after completion of the virtual interviews, participants will receive feedback on their performance.

BEHAVIORAL

Services as Usual

Study participants will be receiving their community-based or school-based services as usual that may include but is not limited to vocational skill training, daily living skill training, and social skill training.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Wisconsin, Madison

  collaborator OTHER

• SIMmersion, LLC

  collaborator INDUSTRY

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

  collaborator NIH

• University of Michigan

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Matthew Smith, PhD · University of Michigan

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

16 Years

Max Age

21 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-10-01

Primary Completion

2020-08-01

Completion

2020-08-01

Countries

• United States

Study Locations