Virtual Interview Training for Adults Receiving Prison-Based Employment Services: A Randomized Controlled Feasibility and Initial Effectiveness Trial

Background and Purpose: Returning citizens struggle with obtaining employment after their release from prison, and post-release employment is known to help prevent recidivism. However, returning citizens have difficulty navigating job interview (especially around discussing a prior conviction). Thus, the job interview is a critical barrier to obtaining post-release employment. Additionally, prison-based vocational rehabilitation is rare, and when available, few evidence-informed practices are implemented. Recently, virtual reality job interview training has demonstrated lab-based efficacy and real-world effectiveness at improving job interview skills, reducing interview anxiety, and enhancing access to employment in community-based vocational rehabilitation settings. Thus, we sought to evaluate the initial feasibility and effectiveness of VR-JIT implemented within prison-based vocational rehabilitation.

Methods: We partnered with two state-administrated prisons to conduct a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the initial effectiveness and feasibility of implementing VR-JIT within vocational rehabilitation services-as-usual (SAU). The research team hosted study information sessions for 111 returning citizens participating in a prison-based vocational rehabilitation services. 52 returning citizens consented and 48 participants enrolled in the study with 4 participants withdrawing prior to randomization. Thus, forty-four participants were randomized to receive SAU with VR-JIT (SAU+VR-JIT, n=28) or SAU only (n=16). Feasibility outcomes included VR-JIT adherence, performance and high fidelity VR-JIT implementation; and participant-level self-reports of VR-JIT acceptability and usability. Effectiveness outcomes included job interview skills, job interview motivation, job interview anxiety, and competitive employment by six-month follow-up. Local prison staff trained and supervised participants using VR-JIT. We used descriptive statistics to characterize feasibility outcomes, and conducted repeated measures analyses of variance and logistic regression to evaluate effectiveness outcomes.

Results: Regarding feasibility outcomes, participants reported VR-JIT was highly acceptable and usable with 100% adhering to the recommended VR-JIT completion protocol. Prison staff successfully completed orientation tot deliver VR-JIT and implemented the tool with high fidelity. Regarding effectiveness outcomes, the SAU+VR-JIT group, as compared to the SAU only group, had large effect size improvements between pre-test and post-test on performance-based job interview skills (p=0.04; ηp²=0.16), job interview motivation (p=0.04; ηp²=0.19), and job interview anxiety (p=0.02; ηp²=0.21); and greater employment by six-month follow-up (OR=7.4, p=0.045).

Conclusions and Implications: The implementation of evidence-based job interviewing training is a major gap in vocational rehabilitation for returning citizens. This trial suggests returning citizens adhered to the training and viewed it as highly acceptable and usable. Moreover, VR-JIT trainees experienced improved job interview skills, motivation, anxiety, and access to employment. Thus, VR-JIT can potentially help fill a major gap in vocational rehabilitation services. Future research is needed to validate VR-JIT effectiveness and evaluate the processes required to successfully implement VR-JIT within prison-based programs.