Submitted by user on
Study Name
About Face
Study Sharepoint ID
28392.02
Evaluation name
Evaluation of About Face - Full Program
Intervention (standard name)
About Face
Strength of Evidence Tag
Low
Reason for the Rating

This study received a low study quality rating because it is a quasi-experimental design that does not adjust estimated impacts for potentially important differences between the intervention and comparison groups.

This study received a low study quality rating because it is a quasi-experimental design that does not adjust estimated impacts for potentially important differences between the intervention and comparison groups.

Design
Quasi-experimental design
Services
Soft skills training
Training
Work readiness activities
Job search assistance
Populations targeted
Former incarceration
Mental illness
Military veteran
Settings in which the intervention was studied
Urban only

Subgroups

Subgroup data - Female
No
Subgroup data - Male
No
Subgroup data - White
No
Subgroup data - Black
No
Count age
0
Count Young Adults
0
Count Hard-to-employ
0
Count Disability
0
Count chronically ill
0
Count mentally ill
0
Count substance dependent
0
Count formerly incarcerated
0
Count Justice involved
0
Count limited work history
0
Count homeless
0
Count immigrants
0
Count refugees
0
Count veterans
0
Count female
0
Count Male
0
Count Any postsecondary education
0
Count With a high school diploma or GED
0
Count No high school diploma or GED
0
Count Married
0
Count Parents
0
Count Single Parents
0
Count Non-Custodial Parents
0
Count Employed
0
Count Self employed
0
Count Unemployed
0
Count Disconnected/discouraged workers
0
Count general low-income population
0
Count Very low income (as classified by the authors)
0
Count welfare population
0
Count long-term welfare recipients
0
Count Asian
0
Count Black or African American
0
Count Hispanic or Latino of any race
0
Count American Indian or Alaska Native
0
Count Pacific islander
0
Count White
0
Count White not Hispanic
0
Count More than one race
0
Count Unknown race
0
Count another race
0
Percent mentally ill
100.00
Percent fomerly incarcerated
100.00
Percent homeless
20.29
Percent veterans
100.00
Percent female
2.70
Percent Male
97.30
Percent Married
5.77
Percent White not Hispanic
8.67
Mean age
51.20
Group formation formatted

The evaluators assigned participants to one of two intervention conditions (Self Study or the full program) or a comparison condition. Participants were assigned to the study on a rotating basis, with assignment to one intervention group taking place one week and assignment to the other group taking place the following week. Their probability of assignment was thus fully conditional on the week they enrolled in the study. This approach prevented against delays between study enrollment and receipt of the intervention services, which were provided once every three weeks to participants in the full program condition. The current review only includes participants assigned to the full program and comparison conditions.

Study timing formatted

The authors examined participant outcomes 3, 6, and 12 months after they enrolled in About Face. The study team enrolled the first study participant in June 2009 and collected data through November 2010.

Implementing organization formatted

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) North Texas Health Care System

Treatment condition formatted

The About Face intervention provided access to supplemental resources in the Veterans Employment Resource Center (VERC). The standard VERC services included internet and phone access for job search activities, resume writing supports, video training for applying to and interviewing for jobs, and two video-recorded practice interviews. In addition, the program provided intervention participants with the About Face vocational manual and in-person classes during the week following study enrollment. The 72-page manual provided person-centered strategies to find employment, such as learning from past employment challenges and successes and identifying individualized job skills, along with more general approaches to finding a job, such as developing resumes and strategies for successful job interviews. During classes, vocational staff guided participants through the manual and provided opportunities to practice interviews, participate in job fairs, and complete networking exercises to build soft skills.

Comparison condition formatted

The comparison group received access to the standard resources offered by the VERC but did not receive the About Face vocational manual.

Mandatory services formatted

None

Setting details formatted

The About Face study took place in Dallas, TX, at the Dallas Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Medical Center.

Delivered by public or private entity?
Public
Earliest publication year
2011
Most recent publication year
2018
Manuscripts
90043
28392
90046
SRG File Path
http://example.com
Check edits flag
No
Primary Service
Work readiness activities
Subgroup data - Hispanic
No