Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 26, 2026
Development of a Virtual Reality Assessment of Everyday Living Skills
Published on: April 23, 2014
Virtual reality job interview training for individuals with psychiatric disabilities
Matthew J Smith1, Emily J Ginger, Michael Wright
1*Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; †SIMmersion LLC, Columbia, MD; ‡Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Department of Veterans Affairs, West Haven, CT; and §Department of Family Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL.
Virtual Reality Job Interview Training (VR-JIT) shows promise for individuals with psychiatric disabilities. This innovative approach improved job interview skills and self-confidence, suggesting a viable new avenue for supported employment.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Psychiatric Rehabilitation
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Existing employment support services for individuals with psychiatric disabilities often lack specific job interview skill training.
- There is a recognized need for effective interventions to enhance employability for this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility and efficacy of Virtual Reality Job Interview Training (VR-JIT) for individuals with psychiatric disabilities.
- To evaluate VR-JIT's impact on job interview performance and self-confidence.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial was conducted comparing VR-JIT (n=25) to treatment-as-usual (TAU) (n=12).
- VR-JIT involved 10 hours of simulated interviews with a virtual character and online didactic training.
- Feasibility was assessed through attendance rates, user-friendliness, and participant preparedness.
Main Results:
- Participants found VR-JIT easy to use and reported feeling prepared for interviews, with 95% attendance.
- The VR-JIT group demonstrated significant improvements in job interview role-play performance (p ≤ 0.05) and self-confidence (p ≤ 0.05) compared to the TAU group.
- VR-JIT performance scores showed a positive trend, increasing over time (R = 0.65).
Conclusions:
- VR-JIT is a feasible and effective intervention for enhancing job interview skills and self-confidence in individuals with psychiatric disabilities.
- The findings support VR-JIT as a potentially valuable tool for supported employment initiatives.
- Further research is recommended to confirm efficacy in community-based settings.
