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

• Published in: Criminal justice and behavior Vol. 50; no. 2; pp. 272 - 293
• Main Authors: Smith, Matthew J., Parham, Brittani, Mitchell, Jamie, Blajeski, Shannon, Harrington, Meghan, Ross, Brittany, Johnson, Jeffery, Brydon, Daphne M., Johnson, Jennifer E., Cuddeback, Gary S., Smith, Justin D., Bell, Morris D., Mcgeorge, Robert, Kaminski, Kyle, Suganuma, Aaron, Kubiak, Sheryl
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.02.2023; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Clinical trials; Employment; Employment agencies; Employment interviews; Ex-convicts; Feasibility; Motivation; Prisons; Rehabilitation of criminals; Virtual reality; Vocational education; smart decarceration; virtual reality; vocational rehabilitation; employment; job interviews; Vocational Rehabilitation; Employment; Smart Decarceration; Virtual Reality; Job Interviews
• ISSN: 0093-8548; 1552-3594
• DOI: 10.1177/00938548221081447

Returning citizens struggle to obtain employment after release from prison and navigating job interviews is a critical barrier they encounter. Implementing evidence-based interview training is a major gap in prison-based vocational services. We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the feasibility and initial effectiveness of Virtual Reality Job Interview Training (VR-JIT) within two prisons. Forty-four male returning citizens were randomized to receive service-as-usual (SAU) with VR-JIT (SAU + VR-JIT, n = 28) or SAU (n = 16). Participants reported VR-JIT was highly acceptable and usable. SAU + VR-JIT, compared with SAU, had significant improvements (with large effect sizes) in interview skills, interview training motivation, and interview anxiety (all p < .05; η p 2 > .15), and greater employment by 6-month follow-up (odds ratio [OR] = 7.4, p = .045). VR-JIT can potentially help fill a major gap in prison-based services. Future research is needed to validate VR-JIT effectiveness and evaluate VR-JIT implementation strategies within prisons.