Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Jan 5, 2026
Date Accepted: Jul 22, 2026
Job coaching and smartphone-based cognitive behavioral techniques to cope with unemployment (DRIVEN): A randomized controlled trial to help people return to work
ABSTRACT
Background:
Unemployment has economic consequences and is related to emotional distress and impairment. Joblessness often relates to depression, leading to a vicious cycle of reduced drive to seek work, deepening financial stress, and worsening depression. Few scalable interventions exist that integrate job-search strategies with cognitive behavior techniques.
Objective:
To determine the efficacy of a distress-informed return-to-work intervention (DRIVEN). The primary hypothesis was that DRIVEN would be more efficacious than the control condition on improving job-search behavior. Secondary analyses examined job attainment, depression and positive affect.
Methods:
Design, Setting, and Participants: A randomized controlled trial conducted from August, 2023-September, 2024. Assessments were at baseline, Weeks 1-6, and 8- and 16-weeks post-intervention. Participants were a nationwide sample of unemployed job seekers (aged>18 years) who had never earned more than $100,000. Interventions: Participants received 1) DRIVEN, which included 6 weeks of cognitive-behavioral exercises in a mobile-app combined with three one-hour coaching sessions over videoconference, or 2) emailed articles containing job-search advice. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcome measures were subscales of the Job Search Behavior Scale (Preparatory and Active Job Search). Secondary outcomes included job attainment and mental health outcomes.
Results:
Results:
Participants were a nationwide sample (N=126, Age, M=33.6 years, SD=6.6), 49.2% female. Mixed effects linear models showed that for DRIVEN, preparatory job-search behavior increased by an estimated .053 units/day from baseline (95% CI: 0.031-0.076), which was a larger effect that found in the control condition (.011 units/day, 95% CI: -0.011-0.033), p=.008. Active job-search behavior increased by .061 units/day from baseline (95% CI: 0.038-0.084), which was significantly larger than for the control group (point estimate: .025, 95% CI: 0.001-0.047), p=.026. Depression decreased more in the DRIVEN group versus control (DRIVEN point estimate = -0.214, 95% CI: -0.255 to -0.172 vs. control group point estimate = -0.122, 95% CI: -163, -.081), p=.002, and participants were more likely to get a job in the DRIVEN group (68.3% vs. 50.8%, p=.046).
Conclusions:
Conclusions and Relevance: DRIVEN was superior to emailed job-search advice for primary outcomes (job-search behavior) and secondary outcomes (job attainment, depression, positive affect). This intervention may be beneficial for distressed unemployed individuals seeking work. Clinical Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06026280; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06026280 (Date First Submitted: August 30th, 2023)
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