TECHNOLOGY FOR CHANGE

Solution Provides Greater Intervention for Suicide Cases

Dennis McCafferty | Date: 09-29-10 | Comments

Students, teachers and administrators are using video game-based technologies to reduce the incidence of suicide among those within the high school and college campus communities. The innovative technology enables users to interact with avatars to detect and respond appropriately to trouble signs.

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Solution Provides Greater Intervention for Suicide Cases
A professor named "Dr. Bill" comes on a computer screen and indicates he's concerned about three of his students: "Gwen" doesn't speak and freezes up if she's called upon to answer a question. "Fiona" recently cried in the hallway before a lecture. "Alberto" shows up late and falls asleep during class.

The virtual program helps educators recognize the warning signs of psychological illness (source: Kognito).

Users are then directed to ask these students questions about what might be bothering them, and Dr. Bill helps them determine the right way to respond if any of these students have the potential to commit suicide.

This simulation is produced by New York-based Kognito. It's part of a product solution called "At-Risk," which uses video game-based avatar technology to help customers address the challenge of suicide and psychological illness within their communities. The company recently launched its At-Risk for University Students, and is rolling it out first at Penn State Altoona. Users engage in simulated conversations with emotionally responsive student avatars exhibiting signs of depression, thoughts of suicide and drug abuse. The virtual students are capable of visually and verbally expressing emotions in reaction to users' comments during the conversation, effectively replicating real-life interaction.

In these virtual role-plays, users learn motivational interviewing techniques such as open-ended questions and reflective listening to effectively broach the topic of psychological distress and motivate the at-risk student to seek help. It helps them avoid common pitfalls, such as attempting to counsel the student or diagnose the problem.

Next: Learning How to Approach At-Risk Students >>