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.
Age between 16 and 24 years
Must speak English fluently
Receiving Individualized Education Program (IEP)/504 Plan or disability services within the past 24 months with primary disability types of psychiatric disability
No hospitalizations or suicide attempts within the past 2 months
Current presence of neurological disease or brain injury
Psychiatric instability such as gross psychosis or acute suicidality
Current alcohol or substance dependence
Hospitalization or suicide attempts in the past 2 months
Factorial
iCareer Soft Skills Training for Employment
BehavioralThe telehealth iCareer intervention will be delivered during regular educational or vocational services (i.e., services from the Office of Disability Services (ODS) and/or from the school or college counseling center). Six modules of Soft Skills Training (SST), four group sessions for each module with 60 to 90 min for each session (depending on group size) will be delivered by trained project staff (graduate counseling student assistant or graduate counseling intern) via HIPAA-compliant Zoom videoconferencing. If participants are unable to join by Zoom videoconferencing, telephone (a format widely used in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment delivery and in CBT for depression) will be utilized. Ethical guidelines for providing telehealth over videoconferencing or phone will be followed.
Higher Rates of Employment
Participants in iCareer will have higher rates of employment than participants in TAU alone as evidenced by self-report of acquiring a job.
Higher Number of Hours Worked
Participants in iCareer will have higher numbers hours worked than particiapants in TAU alone as evidenced by self-report of hours worked.
Increased Wages Earned
Participants in iCareer will have higher wages earned than participants in TAU alone as evidenced by self-report of wages earned.
Improved Job Related Social Skills
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).
Reduced Depressive Symptoms
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)
Improved Functional Status
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
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 Work Empowerment
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).
Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.
