Efficacy of Virtual Commmunication Training for Psychological Support to Unemployed: Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Practice in job interview skills is an important step toward successful employment of unemployed. The purpose of the study was to assess the effectiveness of the virtual communicative training developed by us in interviewing skills training of the unemployed with the employer. Participants were randomized into control (n=16) and experimental (n=18) con- ditions. We have created software “Virtual Recruiter” that provides an experience with which job seekers can systematically improve their job interview skills and increase their confidence about going on job interviews. We assessed the efficacy of virtual commmunicative training in a randomized controlled trial. Both groups completed pre-and post-intervention role-play interviews and psychological willingness to job interview questionnaires. Experimental group participants significantly reduced their heart rates and significantly increased their psychological willingness to job interview on the role-play at follow-up compared with baseline (p<0,01). Control group participants had no significant changes in their heart rates and their psychological willingness to job interview (p>0,05). Future research may help to clarify whether this virtual commmunicative training is related to an increase in finding a job. This work was supported by The Ministry of Education and Science of Russian Federation and was prepared as a part of a state task in scientific research area: project № 25.1815.2014/К of 11.07.2014 “Creating virtual experimental models of social interaction between human and psychosocial information environment to organize psychological support for various categories of population”.

Using a computer simulation to improve psychological readiness for job interviewing in unemployed individuals of pre-retirement age

“…A self-report method was used to assess psychological readiness for job interviewing. We have revised the Psychological Willingness to a Job Interview Questionnaire that we used in our previous study ( Aysina, 2016 ) and developed the Psychological Readiness for Job Interviewing Scale, which included a set of seven items (see Appendix ).…”

“…The aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy of a computer simulation - Job Interview Simulation Training (JIST) - in preparing healthy unemployed individuals of pre-retirement age for job interviewing. We have already tested JIST on a sample of job seekers of different ages, including short-term and long-term unemployed persons, as well as on a small group of the long-term unemployed ( Aysina, 2016 ; Aysina, Maksimenko, & Nikiforov, 2016 ). Our findings demonstrated that the training system could enhance psychological willingness to go through a job interview in different categories of the unemployed ( Aysina, 2016 ) and improve job interview performance and job interview self-confidence in individuals who had been jobless for 12 months or longer ( Aysina et al, 2016 ).…”

“…We have already tested JIST on a sample of job seekers of different ages, including short-term and long-term unemployed persons, as well as on a small group of the long-term unemployed ( Aysina, 2016 ; Aysina, Maksimenko, & Nikiforov, 2016 ). Our findings demonstrated that the training system could enhance psychological willingness to go through a job interview in different categories of the unemployed ( Aysina, 2016 ) and improve job interview performance and job interview self-confidence in individuals who had been jobless for 12 months or longer ( Aysina et al, 2016 ). The current study sought to examine whether JIST could help to increase psychological readiness for job interviews in pre-retirement job seekers.…”

How Far Are NEET Youth Falling Behind in Their Non-Cognitive Skills? An Econometric Analysis of Disparities

“…Therefore, the socio-economic inclusion of NEET youth in public life should be carried out comprehensively at multiple different levels, including personal, educational, and labor. A number of studies have shown that individual training can achieve a fragmentary effect in the form of increased labor motivation (Ushakova 2021;Aysina 2016;Selezneva 2008). However, for a systemic solution to the problem, state regulation measures are necessary.…”