A Strength-Based Intervention to Improve Job Interview Skills in Young Adults in a Community Setting

The investigators have developed KF-STRIDE, a promising web-based intervention which focuses on helping autistic transition age youth improve interview skills by 1) learning to identify their unique employable strengths, and 2) practice speaking about those strengths to potential employers in socially appropriate ways. The inability to express one's strengths to a potential employer can negatively affect interview performance and lead to difficulty with job obtainment. Importantly, KF-STRIDE is web-based, so it is highly scalable, and uses well-established principles of positive psychology. The investigators' pilot data evaluating KF-STRIDE in a lab-based setting indicates that after using KF-STRIDE, users experience increased knowledge of their personal strengths and improved job interview skills. However, KF-STRIDE's effectiveness in a real-world setting has not been established. Kessler Foundation (KF) Center for Autism Research will partner with Spectrum Works (or other community partner) (see letter of support) to implement and evaluate KF-STRIDE in a real-world setting. Spectrum Works is a non-profit organization which provides job training and employment opportunities to autistic youth. In the current study, KF-STRIDE will be implemented at Spectrum Works (or other community partner) by Spectrum Work staff members (trained by KF staff).

Inclusion criteria

Lives in the United States of America Between the ages of 14-26 Speaks English well and at a 4th grade reading level

Exclusion criteria

Had a stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury, or neurological injury or disease in the past(like brain tumor or epilepsy) Has a history of significant psychiatric illness(like schizophrenia or psychosis) Has uncontrolled seizures or other unstable medical complications