University of Michigan
The purpose of the study is to see if an internet job interview training program can help people that have autism improve interview skills and access to jobs. Participants will be randomized to use Virtual Interview Training (VIT) or continue services as usual (active control group).
Participants will have assessments that will be done over the computer or in-person at school or program site. Assessments will be about participants background, employment history, mood and feelings, autistic traits, memory, mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, and other things. Some assessments will be audio and/or video recorded. Please note that there will be teachers and staff consented (approximately n=32) to deliver the intervention, however, will not count for the clinical trial. Therefore, the information will not be added to the anticipated enrollment numbers in stu…
Inclusion Criteria: * Participants have a diagnosis on the autism spectrum * Participants are enrolled in pre-employment transition services * Participants have at least a third-grade reading level * Are unemployed or employed and job-seeking Exclusion Criteria: \- Not enrolled in pre-employment transition services
Teachers will administer the intervention (Virtual Interview Training) with the student participants. University of Michigan research staff will train all teachers (including sites in California) and will provide support as necessary throughout the intervention delivery process. Surveys will be captures several times throughout delivery as delivery is expected to be anywhere between 4 to 6 weeks long.
Participants will receive services-as-usual at participants school or program for approximately 6 weeks. Those that are in the active control group will receive access to the e-learning content of the Rita/Travis intervention (not the practice interviews) and will be able to review the e-learning content with teacher's supervision. In addition, this group will review a series of video conversations with autistic adults about navigating the pathway to a career. Surveys will be collected at different time points after randomization.