Attributional Retraining, Self-Esteem, and the Job Interview: Benefits and Risks for College Student Employment

Abstract

The present study evaluated the effectiveness of an attributional retraining program for helping upper-level undergraduates pelform better in employment interviews as moderated by self-esteem levels. The sample consisted of 50 co-operative education student~ preparing for actual job interviews who were randomly assigned to an attributional retraining condition (controllable attribution focus) or control condi tion (communication skills focus). Dependent measures included interviewrelated attributions and actual interview performance. Results showed self-esteem to predict more adaptive attributions and better interview perfonnance in the control group. Findings also demonstrated significant altributiunal retraining benefits for sllIdents with lower self-esteem on attributions and interview Sllccess. The authors found unanticipated negative treatment effects for students with higher self-esteem

Brief Report: Vocational Outcomes for Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders at Six Months After Virtual Reality Job Interview Training

“…The analysis of baseline characteristics at 6-month follow-up revealed that groups did not differ with respect to ASD symptoms and other background characteristics. Also, the logistic regression controlled for factors known to influence vocational outcomes (i.e., self-confidence, prior vocational training) (Hall et al 2011; Tay et al 2006; Wehman et al 2014b). Lastly, we evaluated VR-JIT among adults with ASD actively looking for work, which is the target group most likely to take advantage of the intervention.…”

Android Robot-Mediated Mock Job Interview Sessions for Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study

“…Such programs have noted that a substantial initial barrier toward competitive employment can be the job interview itself ( 4 , 5 ). There is evidence that greater self-confidence in one’s ability to perform a job interview is associated with greater social engagement during interviews as well as more effective verbal and non-verbal communicative strategies during interviews ( 6 , 7 ). In this capacity, programs that improve both perceived and objective interview performance may be a critical component of addressing challenges regarding social communication and interaction for the ASD population that interfere with job acquisition.…”

Virtual Reality Job Interview Training in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…Thus, interventions designed to target both of these constructs may improve job interview performance. There is also evidence that greater self-confidence in one’s ability to perform a job interview is associated with greater social engagement during interviews as well as more effective verbal and nonverbal communicative strategies during interviews (Hall et al 2011; Tay et al 2006). This suggests that improving job interview skills may also increase interview-based self-confidence, which may increase the likelihood that individuals will be motivated to go on job interviews.…”