Using community-engaged methods to adapt virtual reality job-interview training for transition-age youth on the autism spectrum

Matthew J Smith; Rogério M Pinto; Leann Dawalt; J D Smith; Kari Sherwood; Rashun Miles; Julie Taylor; Kara Hume; Tamara Dawkins; Mary Baker-Ericzén; Thomas Frazier; Laura Humm; Chris Steacy

doi:10.1016/j.rasd.2019.101498

Using community-engaged methods to adapt virtual reality job-interview training for transition-age youth on the autism spectrum

Res Autism Spectr Disord. 2020 Mar:71:101498. doi: 10.1016/j.rasd.2019.101498. Epub 2019 Dec 12.

Authors

Matthew J Smith¹, Rogério M Pinto¹, Leann Dawalt^{2

3}, J D Smith^{4

5}, Kari Sherwood¹, Rashun Miles¹, Julie Taylor⁶, Kara Hume⁷, Tamara Dawkins^{8

9}, Mary Baker-Ericzén¹⁰, Thomas Frazier¹¹, Laura Humm¹², Chris Steacy¹²

Affiliations

¹ School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
² School of Social Work, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
³ Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
⁵ Center for Prevention Implementation Methodology (Ce-PIM) for Drug Abuse and HIV, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
⁶ Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medicine Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
⁷ School of Education, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
⁸ TEACCH Autism Program, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
⁹ Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
¹⁰ Child and Adolescent Services Research Center, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California, USA.
¹¹ Autism Speaks, New York, New York, USA.
¹² SIMmersion, LLC, Columbia, MD, USA.

Abstract

Background: Virtual Reality Job-Interview Training (VR-JIT) is an efficacious Internet-based intervention for adults with severe mental illness (SMI). Evaluations of VR-JIT have shown improved interview skill and access to employment in several cohorts of adults with SMI and with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). VR-JIT trains participants how to fill out job applications and handle job interviews through e-learning content and applied practice. Trainees receive feedback through in-the-moment nonverbal cues, critiques, and recommendations for improving performance. Our study sought to adapt VR-JIT for transition-age youth with ASD (TAY-ASD).

Methods: We recruited TAY-ASD and adult stakeholders from public and charter schools, transition programs, and community service providers. Participants provided feedback on VR-JIT to enhance its applicability to TAY-ASD. We used community-engaged methods to process and analyze data from TAY-ASD and stakeholders, presented their quantitative and qualitative responses to community and scientific advisory boards for review and recommendations, and adapted the intervention design and content.

Results: Our adaptations included adding diversity (gender; race/ethnicity) to the virtual hiring manager; shortening the interview by reducing response options; increasing social storytelling to enhance engagement with VR-JIT core components; adding employment opportunities more relevant to younger workers; reducing the reading level; and making the e-learning content more accessible by adding bullet points, voiceover, and imagery/video; and adding new learning goals.

Conclusions: This study presents a rigorous and innovative community-engaged methodology for adapting VR-JIT to meet the needs of TAY-ASD. We review our engagement with TAY-ASD and stakeholders, and discuss the standardized coding scheme we used to adapt VR-JIT and the usefulness and limitations of employing this methodology in adapting other behavioral interventions.

Keywords: Adaptation; Autism; Implementation science; Job interviewing; Transition-age youth; Virtual reality.

Abstract

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