Virtual Reality Job Interview Training in Severe Mental Illness

NCT03049813 | Completed Results DMC

• 1 other identifier: R01MH110524-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 168
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 4

Brief Summary

This is a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the community-based effectiveness of virtual reality job interview training (VR-JIT). Northwestern University is partnering with Thresholds Inc. to evaluate the effectiveness of VR-JIT at improving interviewing skills and access to employment. In addition, we will evaluate the cost effectiveness of VR-JIT and the process for implementing VR-JIT at Thresholds.

Conditions

Schizophrenia; Schizoaffective Disorder; Bipolar Disorder; Depressive Disorder

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Employment Rates

  Employment rates at 9-month follow-up visit measured with questionnaire.

  9 month Follow-Up from Randomization Date

• Time to Employment

  We evaluated the number of days between randomization and obtaining employment using a questionnaire administered over phone interviews with the subject and also verifying with Supported Employment (IPS) tracking system.

  9 month Follow-Up from Randomization Date

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Job Interview Skills

  Pretest (Baseline) and Posttest (approximately 3 months after Baseline)

• Interview Self-Confidence

  Pretest (Baseline) and Posttest (approximately 3 months after Baseline)

• Interview Anxiety

  Pretest (Baseline) and Posttest (approximately 3 months after Baseline)

• Social Competence

  Pretest (Baseline) and Posttest (approximately 3 months after Baseline)

• Psychological Distress - Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale

  Pretest (Baseline) and 6 Month Follow Up from Randomization Date

Study Arms (2)

Virtual Reality Job Interview Training

EXPERIMENTAL

Virtual Reality Job Interview Training

Behavioral: Virtual Reality Job Interview Training

Supported Employment (Services as Usual)

OTHER

Supported Employment (Services as Usual)

Other: Supported Employment (Services as Usual)

Interventions

Virtual Reality Job Interview Training BEHAVIORAL

Job interview training using virtual reality software created by SIMmersion, Inc, in addition to standard supported employment services.

Virtual Reality Job Interview Training

Supported Employment (Services as Usual) OTHER

Standard supported employment services.

Supported Employment (Services as Usual)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Over the age of 18
• Diagnosis of any of the following:
• Any chronic schizophrenia spectrum disorder, including schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, brief psychotic disorder, schizophreniform disorder, other specified schizophrenia spectrum and related disorder, and unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and related disorders;
• Any bipolar spectrum disorder beyond bipolar type I and II to include cyclothymia, other specified bipolar and related disorder, and unspecified bipolar and related disorders;
• Any depressive disorder, including disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, other specified depressive disorder, and unspecified depressive disorder;
• Posttraumatic stress disorder
• fluency in English
• th grade reading level
• Enrolled in Supported Employment/Individual Placement Support (IPS)
• Active IPS enrollee as indicated by at least 1 contact with his/her Employment Specialist in the past 30 days.
• Currently unemployed or underemployed
• Planning to go on interviews within 4 weeks of registration on study.
• Willing to be video recorded for certain study elements.
• Must have given signed, informed consent prior to registration on study.

You may not qualify if:

• Documented developmental or learning disability.
• Medical condition that may compromise cognition (e.g., Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, Huntington's Chorea, Moderate or Greater TBI).
• Uncorrected vision or hearing problems
• Active suicidal ideation within the last 30 days with at least some intent to act, with or without a specific plan; this would be reflected in a score of 4 or 5 on the Suicidal Ideation section of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (CSSRS)
• A past suicide attempt within the past 30 days that did not include preparatory acts or behavior, but was defined by a potentially self-injurious act committed with at least some wish to die as a result of the act.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Michigan: lead
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator
• Thresholds Inc.: collaborator
• SIMmersion, LLC: collaborator
• University of Utah: collaborator

Study Sites (4)

Thresholds Bridge South

Chicago, Illinois, 60609, United States

Location

Thresholds Ogden

Chicago, Illinois, 60613, United States

Location

Thresholds Bridge Southwest

Chicago, Illinois, 60632, United States

Location

Thresholds Bridge West

Chicago, Illinois, 60644, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Smith MJ, Burke-Miller JK, Bornheimer LA, Ross B, Bell MD, McGurk SR, Mueser KT, Brown A, Prestipino J, Borghani N, Nelson K, Lieberman T, Pashka NJ, Razzano LA, Kallen MA. Psychometric properties of the mock interview rating scale for schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses. Front Psychiatry. 2023 Apr 27;14:1150307. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1150307. eCollection 2023.

  PMID: 37181877 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Schizophrenia; Psychotic Disorders; Bipolar Disorder; Depressive Disorder

Interventions

Employment, Supported

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders; Mental Disorders; Bipolar and Related Disorders; Mood Disorders

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Employment; Socioeconomic Factors; Population Characteristics; Rehabilitation, Vocational; Rehabilitation; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services

Limitations and Caveats

Employment specialists implemented VR-JIT at a central computer lab, which was changed to research staff at local neighborhood sites. Research staff stepped in to avoid delays. Recruitment challenges necessitated reducing targeted enrollment from 160 to 133 participants and from a 1:1 randomization scheme to 3:2 randomization . We initially planned to include only participants who were within 2 weeks of their enrollment in IPS. However, we expanded to all clients currently receiving IPS.

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Brittany Ross
• Organization: University of Michigan

rossbrit@umich.edu

(734) 764-2368

Study Officials

• Matthew J Smith, PhD

  Northwestern University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Some, but not all, outcomes require masking for the assessor.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 8, 2017
• First Posted: February 10, 2017
• Study Start: June 1, 2017
• Primary Completion: June 30, 2021
• Study Completion: July 31, 2022
• Last Updated: March 9, 2023
• Results First Posted: November 21, 2022

Record last verified: 2023-03

Locations

US (4)