Connect a high school friend in distress to a trusted adult. Nearly 50% of lifetime mental disorders begin by the mid-teens

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1 Connect a high school friend in distress to a trusted adult OVERVIEW Nearly 50% of lifetime mental disorders begin by the mid-teens Suicide is the second leading cause of death among high school students Almost 7% of high school students have attempted suicide High school students navigate a difficult stage of social and emotional development while also confronting increased academic pressures and responsibilities. Meanwhile, over half of lifetime mental illness emerges by age 14. Early intervention can make a lifetime of difference. Connecting youth to a supportive adult whether in school or in the community can mean the difference between getting help and experiencing negative consequences that may include reduced attendance, lower academic performance, increased violence and higher rates of substance abuse. However, students may lack knowledge about mental health and wellness, and may be unfamiliar with the warning signs of psychological distress in their peers. Furthermore, they may not know when a friend s struggle requires adult intervention. Kognito has partnered with experts in adolescent mental health to develop Friend2Friend, a 25-minute interactive, online learning activity. Friend2Friend introduces the concept of mental health, warning signs of psychological distress, and strategies for improving mental wellness. 1

2 CONVERSATION SIMULATIONS Kognito s proprietary role-play engine allows students to practice talking with a friend using open-ended questions, reflective listening and other motivational interviewing techniques to achieve several goals: Broach the topic of psychological distress Motivate the friend to seek help Avoid common pitfalls, such as a giving unwarranted advice BENEFITS Friend2Friend provides a cost-effective solution that benefits individuals and families, while supporting the objectives of educational and public health agencies in several ways: Increase early mental health intervention Promote student connectedness, attendance, and academic performance LEARNING OBJECTIVES After completing the Friend2Friend training, high school students will be better equipped to: Learn about mental health and wellness in a way that reduces stigma by drawing analogies to physical health Identify warning signs of mental distress, including verbal, behavioral and situational clues Build skills in how to approach a peer in a manner that will motivate them to access support from a trusted adult Practice asking directly about suicide, in line with best-evidence guidelines and research 2

3 CUSTOMIZATION AND SPECIAL FEATURES Friend2Friend includes components and other tools that will assist states, districts and other agencies in rolling out the program and tracking its effectiveness. Built-in Assessment and Tracking Tools Friend2Friend is equipped with a built-in survey that collects feedback from your students about their experience with the course. A three-month follow-up survey also will be administered to collect longitudinal data. A user tracking system provides reports of who has launched the course and their progress in completing it. Outreach and Implementation Materials Friend2Friend includes materials to assist in use of this innovative learning activity: Lesson plans for integrating with health and other curriculum Customizable flyer PowerPoint presentation An animated and narrated trailer about the program Suggested marketing strategies 24/7 Accessiblity via the Web Friend2Friend is a web-based training course hosted on Kognito s secure servers. Users can access the course via a computer with internet access. Kognito provides all technical support. A Kognito account manager can help plan implementation and launch of the trainings. 3

4 TRAINING EFFICACY Friend2Friend is based on At-Risk for High School Educators, an evidence-based training program shown to change users attitudes, skills, and behaviors in several longitudinal studies. In addition, At-Risk for High School Educators is listed in the National Registry for Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) and in the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) Best Practices Registry. Friend2Friend follows the same instructional approach and content as At-Risk for High School Educators, and is under review for inclusion in SPRC s Best Practices Registry. National Study of At-Risk for High School Educators While research on Friend2Friend is underway, it is helpful to know that from May 2011 through Feb 2013, Kognito conducted a study among 216 high school teachers and personnel in 82 schools in five states (Texas, New York, North Carolina, California, and Arizona) to assess the effectiveness of At-Risk for High School Educators. Seventy-nine percent of participants were females, and 17% received prior training as gatekeepers. Participants first completed a pre-survey (baseline) and then the 60-minute online training, followed immediately by a post-training survey. Participants then completed a three-month follow-up survey. All surveys were conducted online at a computer of the participant s choosing. Participants were educators in institutions that purchased the training from Kognito and chose to have Kognito embed the survey tools into the training to assess its effectiveness. Most participants (84%) learned about the training via an sent by their principal or state agency, and 14% heard about the training from a colleague. A majority of participants had the option to take the training and were not compensated; some participants were required by their school administration to complete the training. Study results were analyzed using a repeated measures analysis of variance to determine the change in dependent variables across all three measurement points or a repeated measures t-test for those with only two time points.those with only two time points. Friend2Friend follows the evidence-based model established with At-Risk The results of the study strongly suggest that At-Risk significantly increases: 1. Teachers ability to identify, approach and refer students exhibiting signs of psychological distress, including depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation 2. Teachers confidence in their ability to help a suicidal student 3. The likelihood that teachers will intervene when faced with a student at-risk for psychological distress and suicide. At 3-month follow-up, the number of students approached by participants who received the training had increased by over 70% In addition, the study found that: 1. At-Risk is a highly engaging learning experience (based on course rating and the percentage of teachers who would recommend it to their colleagues) 2. At-Risk provides a realistic environment for practicing interacting with at-risk students 3. The interpersonal skills and tactics taught in At-Risk can assist teachers in conducting other challenging conversations with their students related to classroom behavior and academic performance A complete report of this study can be found at: 4

5 COURSE EXPERIENCE Kognito s unique learning technology gives high school students hands-on practice handling a challenging discussion with a potentially at-risk peer. In the simulation, users interact with a realistic, emotionally-responsive virtual peer and receive feedback first from peer s reactions to coaching tips. The conversation is book-ended by two brief learning activities to support the training. INTRODUCING MICHAEL AND ANA Two virtual teens, Michael and Ana, relate stories of times when they each struggled with psychological distress and introduce the simulation as something they developed to help others in similar situations. They discuss emotional health and wellness, and address several misconceptions that high school students may have about mental health. GOAL SETTING Michael and Ana outline the goals for the conversation, and offer some tips for how to do well. In this short activity, learners are taught both effective and ineffective tactics for approaching friends about sensitive topic. Michael and Ana each relate stories of times when they each struggled with psychological distress and introduce the simulation as something they developed to help others in similar situations. Two virtual students, Michael and Ana, introduce users to the interactive simulation that they developed The conversation activity offers tips on how to approach friends about sensitive topics CONVERSATION WITH ANA The learner then assumes the role of Michael, and engages in a conversation with Ana. Users choose what Michael says from a menu of options, and receive both positive and constructive feedback on their choices. Throughout the conversation, Ana s body language and verbal responses indicate the effectiveness of the user s selection. The user selects from multiple conversation options. 5

6 POINTS AND BADGES Users collect points for using effective tactics, and lose points for using ineffective ones. Badges and points reinforce the skills learned and the goals achieved duringthe conversation activity. These gamification features are familiar to teen learners and help to support a high level of engagement with the program. Users can also click on a thought bubble to find out how Ana is feeling, an additional layer of feedback that helps learners track how they are doing in the conversation. The users earn badges for using effective conversation tactics. Conversation goal reminders are at the bottom of the screen. CONVERSATION FEEDBACK After the conversation concludes, learners receive feedback from Ana based on how they performed during the conversation. Depending on a user s selections, Ana may offer some suggestions for conversation choices that could have been helpful, or discuss which choices that could have been avoided. Ana also tells the learner how things turned out for her after the conversation. Ana provides feedback on the user s conversation choices and explains how she is doing now. IDENTIFYING FRIENDS IN DISTRESS After the conversation feedback, Ana and Michael lead an activity about identifying peers at risk for emotional distress or thoughts of suicide. Michael and Ana explain the importance of reaching out, and they each offer some of their own routine strategies for maintaining emotional well-being, such as eating well and exercising. Michael and Ana reinforce the importance of mental health. 6

7 TOOLKIT Last, users explore a toolkit of local and national resources, take a course survey, and access their certificate of completion. They can also save or print a course summary. Links to additional resources are made available to users. ADOPTION Friend2Friend is available for licensing by state agencies, school districts and not-for profit organizations. CONTACT INFORMATION If you have any questions, please contact us at or info@kognito.com. 7