Unemployment
Conditions
Keywords
iJobs
Brief summary
The current study aims to test the efficacy of iJobs, an online intervention for the unemployed. iJobs is an online adaptation of the JOBS program.
Detailed description
The current study is a two-arm randomized controlled trial that will test the efficacy of iJobs (a web-based adaptation of the JOBS program) against a waiting list control group. Participants from the control group will be enrolled in iJobs 2 weeks after the experimental group finishes the program. iJobs is a 2-week intervention consisting of 5 modules focusing on discovering job skills, job search strategies, preparing effective resumes, exercising different types of interviews, and overcoming setbacks in the job search process. iJobs was previously tested in a feasibility and acceptability trial.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALiJobs
iJobs is a 2-week intervention consisting of 5 modules focusing on discovering job skills, job search strategies, preparing effective resumes, exercising different types of interviews, and overcoming setbacks in the job search process. This is an adaptation of the JOBS program.
Sponsors
West University of Timisoara
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
The two independent groups (intervention vs. waiting list control group) will be crossed with three measurement times (i.e., baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up). Hence, the design will be a 2 (intervention vs. control) X 3 (baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up) factorial design.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Unemployed and looking for a job * Work as volunteers and are looking for a paid job * Have a PC or laptop and basic digital competencies
Exclusion criteria
* They don't have internet access and are not available during the two weeks of the program
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Participants' self-efficacy regarding the job search process | Change from baseline to post-intervention and follow-up (approximately 2 weeks and 6 weeks) | The Job Search Self-Efficacy Scale (20-item) measures participants' perception of their ability to gain employment. The minimum score is 20 and the maximum is 100. A higher score means a better outcome (increased job search self-efficacy). |
| The quality of participants' job search behaviors | Change from baseline to post-intervention and follow-up (approximately 2 weeks and 6 weeks) | The Job search quality scale has 20 items and measures the quality in which the job search behaviors are performed. The minimum score is 20 and the maximum is 100. A higher score means a better outcome (increased job search quality). |
| Participants' job search intensity and effort | Change from baseline to post-intervention and follow-up (approximately 2 weeks and 6 weeks) | The investigators will use a version of Blau's Job-search behaviors scale adapted to the contemporary context and Romanian population. The scale measures participants' involvement in job search activities in terms of frequency and intensity. The minimum score is 16 and the maximum is 80. A higher score means a better outcome (increased job search behavior effort). |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Participants' overall self-esteem | Change from baseline to post-intervention (approximately 2 weeks) | Rosenberg's Self Esteem Scale measures global self-worth by measuring both positive and negative feelings about the self using 10 items. The minimum score of Rosenberg's Self Esteem Scale is 10 and the highest one is 40. A higher score means a better outcome. |
| Participants' ability to deal with setbacks in the job search process | Change from baseline to post-intervention (approximately 2 weeks) | Inoculation against setbacks (i.e., participants' ability to deal with setbacks) will be measured using 2 items retrieved from previous studies. The minimum score is 2 and the maximum is 10. A higher score means a better outcome (presence of inoculation against setbacks). |
| Participants' anxiety regarding their future career | Change from baseline to post-intervention (approximately 2 weeks) | The investigators will measure participants' anxiety regarding their future career with the Future Career Anxiety Scale. The minimum score is 5 and the maximum is 25. A higher score means a worse outcome (increased anxiety). |
| Generalised Anxiety symptoms | Change from baseline to post-intervention (approximately 2 weeks) | The investigators will measure participants' anxiety symptoms using the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment. This is a 7-item instrument that uses the DSM-V criteria to assess anxiety symptom severity. The minimum score is 0 and the highest one is 21. A higher score means a worse outcome (a higher level of anxiety). |
| Depression symptoms | Change from baseline to post-intervention (approximately 2 weeks) | The investigators will measure participants' depression symptoms with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The scale measures participants' severity of depression using DSM IV criteria. The minimum score is 0 and the highest one is 27. A higher score means a worse outcome (more severe symptoms of depression). |
| Participants' mental health complaints | Change from baseline to post-intervention (approximately 2 weeks) | The investigators will measure participants' mental health complaints with the Mental Health Complaints Scale. This is a 5-item instrument that will be used to assess mental health complaints. The minimum score is 6 and the highest is 30. A higher score means a worse outcome. |
| Participants' psychological capital | Change from baseline to post-intervention (approximately 2 weeks) | The investigators will measure participants' psychological capital with the 12-item Compound PsyCap Scale. The minimum score is 12 and the highest is 72. A higher score means a better outcome. |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment adherence | Post-intervention only (approximately 2 weeks) | Drop out rate; The number of completed assignments; Quality of completed assignment (qualitative rating of the degree of completeness and depth of the answer for each assignment, conducted by two independent experts based on apriori established coding grids). |
| Sociodemographic information | Baseline only | Age, gender, residential area, educational level, average monthly income, unemployment period, work experience, and targeted professional field. |
| Employment status | Follow-up only (approximately 6 weeks) | Self-reported employment status will be measured at follow-up, using a dichotomous question. |
| Employment satisfaction | Follow-up only (approximately 6 weeks) | Self-reported employment quality will be measured at follow-up using 4 questions. One of them is a dichotomous question, while the other 3 questions are measured on a Likert scale. The minimum score is 3, and the maximum is 30. A higher score means greater satisfaction with the job. |
| System usability | Post-intervention only (approximately 2 weeks) | We will use a 10-item questionnaire designed to measure participants' satisfaction with TalentLMS, the online platform used for the program delivery. The total score of System Usability Scale is 0 and the highest one is 100. A higher score means a better outcome. |
| Physical health | Baseline only | The investigators will use a short version of Ware's Physical Health Complaints Scale to measure participants' perceptions of their health. The minimum score is 4 and the highest is 20. A higher score means a worse outcome (worse physical health). |
| Satisfaction with the intervention | Post-intervention only (approximately 2 weeks) | Satisfaction with the intervention will be measured using 17 items. Eleven items are measured on a 4-points, 5-points, and 10-points Likert scale. Each item will be analyzed separately. A higher score means greater satisfaction. The other 6 items are open-ended questions and imply qualitative analysis. |
Countries
Romania
Outcome results
None listed