Virtual reality job interview training and 6-month employment outcomes for individuals with substance use disorders seeking employment

BACKGROUND: Individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) have low employment rates and job interviewing is a critical barrier to employment for them. Virtual reality training is efficacious at improving interview skills and vocational outcomes for several clinical populations. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the acceptability and efficacy of virtual reality job interview training (VR-JIT) at improving interview skills and vocational outcomes among individuals with SUDs via a small randomized controlled trial (n = 14 VR-JIT trainees, n = 11 treatment-as-usual (TAU) controls). METHODS: Trainees completed up to 10 hours of virtual interviews, while controls received services as usual. Primary outcome measures included two pre-test and two post-test video-recorded role-play interviews and vocational outcomes at six-month follow-up. RESULTS: Trainees reported that the intervention was easy-to-use and helped prepared them for future interviews. While co-varying for pre-test role-play performance, trainees had higher post-test role-play scores than controls at the trend level (p < 0.10). At 6-month follow-up, trainees were more likely than controls to attain a competitive position (78.6% vs. 44.4%, p < 0.05, respectively). Trainees had greater odds of attaining a competitive position by 6 month follow-up compared to controls (OR: 5.67, p < 0.05). VR-JIT participation was associated with fewer weeks searching for a position (r = –0.36, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: There is preliminary evidence that VR-JIT is acceptable to trainees with SUDs. Moreover, VR-JIT led to better vocational outcomes with trainees having greater odds of attaining a competitive position by 6-month follow-up. Future studies could evaluate the effectiveness of VR-JIT within community-based services.