iJobs - an Internet Intervention for the Unemployed (iJobs)

• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05962554
• Recruitment Status: Recruiting
• First Posted: July 27, 2023
• Sponsor: West University of Timisoara
• Information provided by (Responsible Party): West University of Timisoara

Study Description

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.

Condition or disease	Intervention/treatment	Phase
Unemployment	Behavioral: iJobs	Not Applicable

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.

Study Design

• Study Type: Interventional (Clinical Trial)
• Estimated Enrollment: 180 participants
• Allocation: Randomized
• Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
• 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.
• Masking: None (Open Label)
• Primary Purpose: Other
• Official Title: iJobs - an Internet Intervention for the Unemployed: a Randomized Controlled Trial
• Actual Study Start Date: June 6, 2023
• Estimated Primary Completion Date: June 28, 2024
• Estimated Study Completion Date: August 31, 2024

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/treatment
Experimental: Intervention group; The group that will be first randomly allocated to iJobs.	Behavioral: iJobs; 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.
Experimental: Waiting list control group; This group will receive the intervention 2-weeks after the intervention group finishes it.	Behavioral: iJobs; 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.

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures :

1. Participants' self-efficacy regarding the job search process [ Time Frame: 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).
2. Participants' job search intensity and effort [ Time Frame: 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).
3. The quality of participants' job search behaviors [ Time Frame: 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).

Secondary Outcome Measures :

1. Participants' ability to deal with setbacks in the job search process [ Time Frame: 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).
2. Participants' overall self-esteem [ Time Frame: 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.
3. Participants' anxiety regarding their future career [ Time Frame: 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).
4. Generalised Anxiety symptoms [ Time Frame: 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).
5. Depression symptoms [ Time Frame: 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).
6. Participants' mental health complaints [ Time Frame: 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.
7. Participants' psychological capital [ Time Frame: 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 Outcome Measures:

1. Physical health [ Time Frame: 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).
2. Treatment adherence [ Time Frame: 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).
3. Satisfaction with the intervention [ Time Frame: 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.
4. System usability [ Time Frame: 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.
5. Sociodemographic information [ Time Frame: Baseline only ]
   Age, gender, residential area, educational level, average monthly income, unemployment period, work experience, and targeted professional field.
6. Employment status [ Time Frame: Follow-up only (approximately 6 weeks) ]
   Self-reported employment status will be measured at follow-up, using a dichotomous question.
7. Employment satisfaction [ Time Frame: 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.

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 Years to 60 Years (Adult)
• Sexes Eligible for Study: All
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Criteria

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

Contacts and Locations

Contacts

Contact: Andrei Rusu; 747174071 ext +40; andrei.rusu@e-uvt.ro

Contact: Alexandra Bodnaru; alexandra.bodnaru@e-uvt.ro

Locations

Romania

West University of Timisoara; Recruiting

Timişoara, Romania, 300223

Contact: Andrei Rusu

Sponsors and Collaborators

West University of Timisoara

Investigators

• Principal Investigator: Andrei Rusu; West University of Timisoara

More Information

Publications:

Bangor, A., Kortum, P. & Miller, J. (2009). Determining what individual SUS scores mean: adding an adjective rating scale. Journal of Usability Studies, 4(3), 114-123.

Bodnaru, A., Rusu, A., Blonk, R., Vîrgă, D., Iliescu, D., & Van den Broeck, A. (2023, May 4). Bodnaru_et_al_preprint. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/tdseq

Blau, G. (1994). Testing a two-dimensional measure of job search behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 59, 288-312. https://doi.org/10.1006/obhd.1994.1061

Curran, J., Wishart, P., & Gingrich, J. (1999). JOBS: A manual for teaching people successful job search strategies. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research, Michigan Prevention Research Center.

Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JB. The PHQ-9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. J Gen Intern Med. 2001 Sep;16(9):606-13. doi: 10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016009606.x.

Rosenberg, M. (1979). Conceiving the Self. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Saks, A.M., Zikic, J., & Koen, J. (2015). Job search self-efficacy: Reconceptualizing the construct and its measurement. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 86, 104-114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2014.11.007

Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JB, Lowe B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Arch Intern Med. 2006 May 22;166(10):1092-7. doi: 10.1001/archinte.166.10.1092.

Tsai C.T., Hsu H., Hsu Y.C. (2017). Tourism and hospitality college students' career anxiety: Scale development and validation. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education, 29(4), 158-165. https://doi.org/10.1080/10963758.2017.1382365

Van Hooft, E.A.J., Van Hoye, G., & Van den Hee, S.M. (2022). How to Optimize the Job Search Process: Development and Validation of the Job Search Quality Scale. Journal of Career Assessment, 30(3), 474-505. https://doi.org/10.1177/10690727211052812

Virga D, De Witte H, Cifre E. The Role of Perceived Employability, Core Self-Evaluations, and Job Resources on Health and Turnover Intentions. J Psychol. 2017 Oct 3;151(7):632-645. doi: 10.1080/00223980.2017.1372346. Epub 2017 Oct 6.

Vîrga, D. & Rusu, A. (2018). Core self-evaluations, job search behaviour and health complaints. The mediating role of job search self-efficacy. Career Development International, 23(3), 261-273. https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-11-2017-0208

Vuori, J., & Vinokur, A.D. (2005). Job-search preparedness as a mediator of the effects of the Tyohon Job Search Intervention on re-employment and mental health. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(3), 275-291. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.308

Lorenz T, Beer C, Putz J, Heinitz K. Measuring Psychological Capital: Construction and Validation of the Compound PsyCap Scale (CPC-12). PLoS One. 2016 Apr 1;11(4):e0152892. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152892. eCollection 2016.

Berwick DM, Murphy JM, Goldman PA, Ware JE Jr, Barsky AJ, Weinstein MC. Performance of a five-item mental health screening test. Med Care. 1991 Feb;29(2):169-76. doi: 10.1097/00005650-199102000-00008.

• Responsible Party: West University of Timisoara
• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05962554
• Other Study ID Numbers: RCT iJobs
• First Posted: July 27, 2023
• Last Update Posted: May 10, 2024
• Last Verified: May 2024

Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement:

• Plan to Share IPD: No

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: No

Keywords provided by West University of Timisoara:

iJobs