Autistic transition age youth struggle with obtaining employment, and interviewing is a critical barrier to getting a job. We adapted an efficacious virtual reality job interview intervention to meet the needs of autistic transition age youth, called the Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth. This study evaluated whether Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth can be feasibly delivered in high school special education settings and whether Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth improves job interview skills, job interview self-efficacy, job interview anxiety, and access to employment. Forty-eight autistic transition age youth received school-based pre-employment services as usual with Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth, while 23 autistic transition age youth received services as usual only. Local teachers trained and supervised autistic transition age youth using Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth. Participants reported Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth was highly acceptable. Participants receiving services as usual and Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth, compared to participants receiving services as usual only, had better job interview skills and lower job interview anxiety as well as greater access to jobs. Overall, Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth appears to be effective at teaching job interview skills that are associated with accessing competitive jobs. Moreover, youth enjoyed Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth and teachers feasibly implemented the tool within special education pre-employment transition services. Future research needs to better understand how autistic transition age youth from culturally diverse backgrounds and different social, behavioral, or mental health challenges may respond to Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth.

Lay abstract

Autistic transition age youth struggle with obtaining employment, and interviewing is a critical barrier to getting a job. We adapted an efficacious virtual reality job interview intervention to meet the needs of autistic transition age youth, called the Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth. This study evaluated whether Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth can be feasibly delivered in high school special education settings and whether Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth improves job interview skills, job interview self-efficacy, job interview anxiety, and access to employment. Forty-eight autistic transition age youth received school-based pre-employment services as usual with Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth, while 23 autistic transition age youth received services as usual only. Local teachers trained and supervised autistic transition age youth using Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth. Participants reported Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth was highly acceptable. Participants receiving services as usual and Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth, compared to participants receiving services as usual only, had better job interview skills and lower job interview anxiety as well as greater access to jobs. Overall, Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth appears to be effective at teaching job interview skills that are associated with accessing competitive jobs. Moreover, youth enjoyed Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth and teachers feasibly implemented the tool within special education pre-employment transition services. Future research needs to better understand how autistic transition age youth from culturally diverse backgrounds and different social, behavioral, or mental health challenges may respond to Virtual Interview Training for Transition Age Youth.

中文翻译：

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自闭症过渡年龄青年的虚拟访谈培训：随机对照可行性和有效性试验

自闭症过渡年龄的青少年很难找到工作，而面试是找工作的关键障碍。我们采用了一种有效的虚拟现实工作面试干预来满足自闭症过渡年龄青年的需求，称为过渡年龄青年虚拟面试培训。本研究评估了过渡年龄青年的虚拟面试培训是否可以在高中特殊教育环境中进行，以及过渡年龄青年的虚拟面试培训是否可以提高求职面试技巧、求职面试自我效能、求职面试焦虑和就业机会。48 名自闭症过渡年龄青少年像往常一样接受了以学校为基础的就业前服务，为过渡年龄青少年提供了虚拟面试培训，而 23 名自闭症过渡年龄青少年只像往常一样接受了服务。当地教师使用针对过渡年龄青年的虚拟面试培训对自闭症过渡年龄青年进行培训和监督。参与者报告说，过渡年龄青年的虚拟面试培训是高度可接受的。与仅接受正常服务的参与者相比，接受正常服务和过渡年龄青年虚拟面试培训的参与者具有更好的工作面试技巧和较低的工作面试焦虑以及更多的工作机会。总体而言，过渡年龄青年的虚拟面试培训似乎在教授与获得竞争性工作相关的工作面试技巧方面是有效的。此外，青年享受了针对过渡年龄青年的虚拟面试培训，教师在特殊教育就业前过渡服务中切实实施了该工具。

抽象

自闭症过渡年龄的青少年很难找到工作，而面试是找工作的关键障碍。我们采用了一种有效的虚拟现实工作面试干预来满足自闭症过渡年龄青年的需求，称为过渡年龄青年虚拟面试培训。本研究评估了过渡年龄青年的虚拟面试培训是否可以在高中特殊教育环境中进行，以及过渡年龄青年的虚拟面试培训是否可以提高求职面试技巧、求职面试自我效能、求职面试焦虑和就业机会。48 名自闭症过渡年龄青少年像往常一样接受了以学校为基础的就业前服务，为过渡年龄青少年提供了虚拟面试培训，而 23 名自闭症过渡年龄青少年只像往常一样接受了服务。当地教师使用针对过渡年龄青年的虚拟面试培训对自闭症过渡年龄青年进行培训和监督。参与者报告说，过渡年龄青年的虚拟面试培训是高度可接受的。与仅接受正常服务的参与者相比，接受正常服务和过渡年龄青年虚拟面试培训的参与者具有更好的工作面试技巧和较低的工作面试焦虑以及更多的工作机会。总体而言，过渡年龄青年的虚拟面试培训似乎在教授与获得竞争性工作相关的工作面试技巧方面是有效的。此外，青年享受了针对过渡年龄青年的虚拟面试培训，教师在特殊教育就业前过渡服务中切实实施了该工具。