USE OF A BEHAVIOR REHEARSAL PROCEDURE FOR TEACHING JOB-INTERVIEWING SKILLS TO PSYCHIATRIC-PATIENTS

Three formerly hospitalized but vocationally employable psychiatric patients received job interview training through a behavior rehearsal procedure. For each subject, job-interviewing skill components (such as providing positive information about background, asking questions, gesturing, expressing enthusiasm) were sequentially introduced in multiple baseline fashion. Upon the introduction of training, each component increased substantially. Pre- to post-training changes in interviews with actual personnel managers were also assessed which reflected improvement in two of the three subjects. Subsequent ratings by a second personnel manager provided confirmation and social validation of the procedure. © 1979 Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy.