KF STRIDE to Improve Job Interview Skills

A Strength-Based Intervention to Improve Job Interview Skills in Young Adults

The goals of the current study are to evaluate the preliminary effectiveness and feasibility of Kessler Foundation-Strength Identification and Expression (KF-STRIDE) in an 8-week randomized controlled trial comparing the intervention to services as usual (SAU).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: KF-STRIDE

Detailed Description

This study will evaluate the acceptability and effectiveness of a strength-based intervention (Kessler Foundation Strength Identification and Expression; KF-STRIDE) that can enhance job interview skills and employment. Despite possessing employable talents, the core social deficits of transition age youth with autism spectrum disorder (TAY-ASD) make it difficult for this group to articulate their individual strengths. This inability to identify and express one's strengths to a potential employer can negatively affect interview performance and lead to difficulty with job obtainment. Thus, the current proposal will examine the effectiveness (Aim 1), acceptability, usability, and feasibility (Aim 2) of a novel strength-based intervention, KF-STRIDE, which is designed to enhance the ability of TAY-ASD to identify personal strengths and effectively discuss them. The goals of the current study are to evaluate the preliminary effectiveness and feasibility of KF-STRIDE in an 8-week randomized controlled trial comparing the intervention to services as usual (SAU). The study will be performed at two private therapeutic schools. Compared to a SAU group, we hypothesize that the KF-STRIDE group will: a) improve the ability to identify strengths (Hypothesis 1), b) improve the ability to express strengths (Hypothesis 2), c) improve other job interview skills (Hypothesis 3) and finally c) improve ability to obtain employment 6-months following the intervention (Hypothesis 4). In this way, the current study is in line with the NIMH's experimental therapeutics model, as we will examine whether the intervention improves employment, as well as identify potential mechanistic targets that could affect outcome. In Aim 2, we will also monitor fidelity, acceptability, usability, and feasibility of the strength-based intervention. The long-term goal of the current research is to collect pilot data that will lead to fully-powered effectiveness and implementation evaluations of KF-STRIDE in other community settings.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • New Jersey
    • East Hanover, New Jersey, United States, 07936
      • Kessler Foundation

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 14 years to 26 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Live in the United States of America
• Ages of 14-26
• Speak English fluently and at a 4th grade reading level

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury, or neurological injury or disease in the past (like brain tumor or epilepsy).
• History of significant psychiatric illness
• Uncontrolled seizures or other unstable medical complications.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Kessler Foundation STRength IDentification and Expression (KF-STRIDE)	Behavioral: KF-STRIDE; KF Stride works to improve identification (awareness) of personal character strengths and 2) express them in a socially appropriate way during a job interview
No Intervention: Services as Usual

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Mock Job Interview	Blinded reviewers using a standardized scoring measure will rate the video recorded mock job interviews.	Week 8
employment status (yes=1, no=0)	We will examine whether the person became employed or other changes to their employment status.	6 months post intervention
time-to-reach-employment (assessed as weeks since intervention completion).	We will examine how long it took for the person to obtain employment.	6 months post intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Kessler Foundation

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 29, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 12, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): January 12, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 25, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 26, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): March 29, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 20, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 19, 2024
• Last Verified: March 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Other Study ID Numbers: E-1139-21

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No