A pragmatic randomized controlled trial of virtual reality job interview training in prison employment services

Abstract Backgrounds Returning citizens have low employment rates after release from prison. Successfully navigating job interviews is a critical barrier to getting a job for returning citizens, and there are no evidence-based job interview training practices in corrections. Design and methods We partnered with two prisons to conduct a pragmatic intention-to-treat randomized controlled trial that evaluated whether Virtual Reality Job Interview Training ( VR-JIT, an online job interview simulator ) improved post-release employment outcomes among returning citizens who completed VR-JIT while enrolled in a pre-release, trades-focused employment readiness program called the Vocational Villages (VV). Participants ( N = 101) were randomized 2:1 to receive VV service-as-usual with VR-JIT (VV + VR-JIT , n = 66) or VV ( n = 35). Results The VV + VR-JIT group, as compared to the VV group, had significantly greater odds of obtaining employment within 6 months of their release (OR = 3.76, p = 0.032) and obtaining this employment more quickly (HR = 1.62, p = 0.037). VV + VR-JIT , as compared to VV, significantly improved job interview skills ( p < 0.001) and job interview motivation ( p = 0.035). Study groups did not differ with respect to their recidivism rate at a 6-month follow-up (0.0% vs. 3.1%, p > 0.10). Conclusions This study suggests that a pragmatic VR-JIT implementation was associated with improved employment outcomes among returning citizens engaged in prison-based employment services. Thus, implementing VR-JIT within vocational services could bridge a critical gap in employment readiness, thereby helping returning citizens to overcome barriers to employment. Future research is needed to expand VR-JIT ’s external validity in other correctional settings and identify evidence-based strategies to optimize the delivery of VR-JIT within prison-based employment readiness programs. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03937128.