Internet Assisted Career-Oriented Soft-skills Training for Transition Age Youth with Mental Health Conditions

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Occupational Problems; Mental Health Wellness 2; Mental Health Wellness 1
• Interventions: Behavioral: iCareer Soft Skills Training for Employment

• Registration Number: NCT05766280
• Lead Sponsor: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an internet- assisted Career-Oriented Work-Related Soft-skills Training (iCareer) intervention, infused with cognitive behavioral therapy, targeting individuals ages 16-24 with mental health conditions, to improve employment outcomes. The overall objective is to help transition-age youth (TAY) with psychiatric disabilities achieve optimal employment outcomes as part of successful transition to adulthood. Findings will have implications for enhancing and developing pre-employment services for TAY with psychiatric disabilities.

Detailed Description

The investigators propose to perform an open trial research study directed toward producing new knowledge about the Direct Skills Teaching intervention for employment related interpersonal "soft" skills. Soft skills are generally defined as social, emotional, interpersonal, adaptive, and problem-solving skills (Grugulis et al., 2009). The investigators will examine the feasibility of integrated Direct Skills Training modules in social, emotional, interpersonal, adaptive, and problem-solving skills (Soft Skills at Work (SSW)) on improving employment participation and success among transition age youth and young adults (TAY) with disabilities ages 18-24.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2023-02-16
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-03-02
• Study First Posted: 2023-03-13
• Study Start: 2023-06-23
• Status Verified: 2024-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-11-12
• Last Update Posted: 2024-11-14
• Primary Completion: 2027-03-01
• Study Completion: 2027-03-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 126

Inclusion Criteria

1. Age between 16 and 24 years
2. Must speak English fluently
3. Receiving Individualized Education Program (IEP)/504 Plan or disability services within the past 24 months with primary disability types of psychiatric disability
4. No hospitalizations or suicide attempts within the past 2 months
5. Willing to provide informed consent (if younger than 18, parental consent) to participate in the study
6. Interested in improving work-related social skills

Exclusion Criteria

1. Current presence of neurological disease or brain injury
2. Psychiatric instability such as gross psychosis or acute suicidality
3. Current alcohol or substance dependence
4. Hospitalization or suicide attempts in the past 2 months

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: FACTORIAL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Treatment	iCareer Soft Skills Training for Employment	Soft Skills Training Intervention via telehealth

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Higher Number of Hours Worked	12 months post intervention	Participants in iCareer will have higher numbers hours worked than particiapants in TAU alone as evidenced by self-report of hours worked.
Improved Job Related Social Skills	12 months post intervention	Participants in iCareer will have better job-related social skills than in TAU alone as evidenced by higher scores on the Job Related Social Skills Checklist (Reganick, 1995).
Higher Rates of Employment	12 months post intervention	Participants in iCareer will have higher rates of employment than participants in TAU alone as evidenced by self-report of acquiring a job.
Increased Wages Earned	12 months post intervention	Participants in iCareer will have higher wages earned than participants in TAU alone as evidenced by self-report of wages earned.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Improved Functional Status	12 months post intervention	Participants in iCareer will report improved functional status related to their disability than participants in TAU alone as evidenced by lower scores on the Sheehan Disability Scale (Sheehan,1983) and lower scores on the BASIS-32 (Eisen et al., 1994).
Reduced Mental Illness Stigma	12 months post intervention	Participants in iCareer will report less stigma related to mental illness than participants in TAU alone as evidenced by lower scores on the Brief Version of the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale (ISMI-10; Boyd et al., 2014).
Increased Job Motivation	12 months post intervention	Participants in iCareer will report increased motivation to get employment compared to participants in TAU services alone as evidenced by lower scores on the Perceived Employment Barriers Survey (PEBS; Hong et al., 2014) and higher scores on the Short Employment Hope Scale (Hong \&Choi, 2013).
Reduced Depressive Symptoms	12 months post intervention	Participants in iCareer will report less depression and overall symptoms than participants in TAU services alone as evidenced by lower scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9; Kroeneke et al., 2001)
Increased Job Satisfaction	12 months post intervention	Participants in iCareer will report increased job satisfaction compared to participants in TAU services alone as evidenced by higher scores on the Occupational Self-Efficacy Scale- Short Form (OSES; Schyns \& von Collani, 2002).
Increased Work Empowerment	12 months post intervention	Participants in iCareer will report increased work empowerment compared to participants in TAU services alone as evidenced by higher scores on the Work Related Self-Efficacy Scale (WSS; Waghorn et al., 2005).

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Rutgers Univeristy, Newark- Office of Disability Services; 🇺🇸 Newark, New Jersey, United States