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Completed

NCT Number: NCT02522507

A Peer E-mentoring Intervention to Improve Employment

Despite the strong business case of hiring people with disabilities, a significant proportion of youth with disabilities leave high school and neither work nor continue their education and are unprepared to meet the demands of a work environment. Although youth with disabilities have much to gain from employment readiness programs, they are often excluded from, or have limited access to school and community vocational programs. One encouraging approach to address gaps in vocational programming is through peer mentoring, which may facilitate a smoother transition to adulthood by offering support to enhance coping skills. Despite the increase in online communities, little is known about their impact on vocational mentoring for youth with physical disabilities and their parents. The purpose of this study is to develop, implement and assess the feasibility of an online peer mentor employment readiness intervention for youth with physical disabilities and their parents to improve their self-efficacy, career maturity and social support.

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Key information

Conditions

Cerebral Palsy Arthritis Arthritis, Juvenile Autoimmune Diseases Brain Damage, Chronic Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Congenital Abnormalities Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities Connective Tissue Diseases Genetic Diseases, Inborn Immune System Diseases Joint Diseases Juvenile Arthritis Muscular Diseases Muscular Disorders, Atrophic Muscular Dystrophies Muscular Dystrophy Musculoskeletal Diseases Nervous System Diseases Nervous System Malformations Neural Tube Defects Neuromuscular Diseases Physical Disability Rheumatic Diseases Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases Spina Bifida Spinal Cord Diseases Spinal Cord Injuries Spinal Cord Injury Spinal Dysraphism Trauma, Nervous System Wounds and Injuries

Age range

15 year–25 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

Toronto, Ontario, M4G 1R8, Canada

About this study

Our primary OBJECTIVE is: (1) to develop, implement and assess the feasibility of an online peer mentor employment readiness intervention for youth with physical disabilities and their parents to improve their self-efficacy, career maturity and social support.

A mixed methods feasibility randomized controlled trial design will be conducted to develop and assess the usability of "Empowering youth towards Employment" intervention. Youth (aged 15-25) with physical disabilities and their parents will be randomly assigned to a control or experimental group (12-week, interactive intervention, moderated by peer mentors). A qualitative thematic analysis will be conducted to analyze the content of discussion forums. Interviews with youth, parents and mentors will also be conducted about their experiences in the intervention.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

for youth participants:

  • Able to read/write in English;
  • A diagnosed physical disability (i.e., cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury etc.); (4) currently enrolled in or have completed a high school diploma in the applied / academic stream (to screen for cognitive impairment);
  • Aged 15-25;
  • Have access to a computer and internet;
  • Have no paid work experience.

Inclusion criteria

for Parents:

  • Are the parent of a youth meeting above inclusion criteria
  • Can read/write in English
  • Have access to a computer with Internet

Exclusion criteria

  • Recently completed or currently participating in another employment readiness or peer support intervention.

Treatment and study plan

Empowering youth towards employment

Behavioral

Experimental: Empowering youth towards employment This is a behavioural e-mentor intervention. Trained mentors will facilitate employment readiness learning and engage youth in discussions over a 12-week period. Each week the mentors will introduce a new employment topic and will engage youth in a discussion and answer questions.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in career maturity inventory--attitude scale (CMI-AS)

    Time frame: baseline (1-week pre-study arm 1), 12 weeks (post-study arm 1)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in family empowerment scale

    Time frame: baseline (1-week pre-study arm 1), 12 weeks (post-study arm 1)

  2. Change in multi-dimensional scale of perceived social support

    Time frame: baseline (1-week pre-study arm 1), 12 weeks (post-study arm 1)

  3. Change in Arc's self-determination scale

    Time frame: baseline (1-week pre-study arm 1), 12 weeks (post-study arm 1)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

Other

Collaborators

  • Ability Online
  • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
  • The Hospital for Sick Children
  • University of Ottawa
  • University of Toronto

Registry information

Official study title

A Peer E-mentoring Intervention to Improve Transition to Employment for Youth With Physical Disabilities

Important dates

Study start
2016
Primary completion
2019
Study completion
2020
First posted
Aug 13, 2015
Registry last updated
Mar 11, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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