Feasibility and Safety of a Virtual-Reality Based Job Interview Training Tool in Teenagers With High-Functioning Autism

Kessler Foundation12 enrolled

Overview

The current project involves the application of a VR job training software. We propose to use an interactive VR job interview practice system, Virtual Reality Job Interview Training (VR-JIT), in youths with ASD at the highschool level. This system was developed to bolster job interview practice skills and to help reduce anxiety in adults with ASD. However, it has never before been used in individuals under the age of 18. Our hope is that if this program is utilized in individuals while they are still in highschool, we can target those persons before the window for which risk of unemployment appears to be highest for ASD youths, immediately after high school graduation.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 13 YearsMax age: 18 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Be between the ages of 13 and 18 * Have a diagnosis of ASD or a typically developing child * Be able to speak and read English fluently Exclusion Criteria: * I had a stroke, TBI, or neurologic injury or disease in the past * I have a history of significant psychiatric illness (like bipolar, schizophrenia, or psychosis) * I have uncontrolled seizures or other unstable medical complications

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Mock Interview Rating Scale; MIRS.

The job interview role-plays are video recorded and later coded on 13 domains by trained raters. The domains include: 1. Overall likeliness to be hired, 2. Being confident, 3. Being positive, 4. Being professional, 5. Showing interest, 6. Being honest, 7. Being depend-able/hardworking, 8. Working well with others, 9. Sharing strengths and skills, 10. Sharing relevant past experiences, 11. Sharing how weaknesses have been improved, and 12. Overall rapport with interviewer. Primary outcomes from the video ratings are the "overall likelihood to be hired" rating as well as a composite score of "inter-viewee performance" (formed by averaging scores for domains 4, 6, 7, and 13) and a composite of "job-relevant performance" (formed by averaging scores for domains 5, 8, and 9). For exploratory analysis, "personal questions" are measured, by averaging scores for domains 10, 11, and 12. A total interview performance score of items 1-13 is included. A higher score indicated better performance.

Time frame: Baseline, Immediate Post-Test