Social Skills Coach An innovative multi platform device to address social impairments among individuals with schizophrenia

Project Summary Schizophrenia is a serious mental health condition that affects percent of the worldandapos s population and can involve delusions hallucinations disorganized thinking lack of motivation decreased emotional expression and poor psychosocial functioning To address the need for developing social skills among people with schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses the evidence based Social Skills Training SST intervention has emerged as an effective approach While SST has become increasingly widespread across mental health systems a need persists for tools that can increase the reach and impact of SST In response the Center for Social Innovation C is partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and the Baltimore Research and Education Foundation Inc VA Maryland Health Care System to develop and test Social Skills Coach a dynamic online platform with a client facing web app and a provider dashboard to support integration of the product into SST groups Social Skills Coach is organized around three parts each of which is grounded in learning theory Review to reinforce knowledge and skills acquired in SST Practice to support the development of generalizable skills and improvements in functioning Apply to translate knowledge and skills honed by app use into real encounters in the world and provide opportunities to reflect on what happened Throughout each component the user will receive virtual coaching that offers tips and feedback about learning concepts Review strengths and areas for improvement Practice and encouragement before and after real life encounters Apply Two specific aims guide the Phase I study Aim Develop a prototype version of the Social Skills Coach multi platform interactive device Aim Complete a pilot study to test the feasibility credibility and acceptability of Social Skills Coach and collect preliminary efficacy data This Phase I study will use qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate Social Skills Coach and provide proof of concept for a larger Phase II effectiveness study The primary outcomes will be the feasibility credibility acceptability and preliminary efficacy of using Social Skills Coach in conjunction with SST group training to improve knowledge skills and community integration Social Skills Coach represents an innovative entry into the arena of mental health apps to support the dissemination and impact of evidence based interventions It has potential as an adjunct to existing SST efforts or as a stand alone recovery support app for people with serious mental illnesses Most importantly it can help improve social skills for individuals who seek to reconnect with friends family and community Project Narrative To increase the reach and impact of Social Skills Training SST an evidence based intervention for people with schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses the Center for Social Innovation is partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Baltimore Research and Education Foundation Inc Veterans Administration Maryland Health Care System to develop and test Social Skills Coach a web based application and provider dashboard The product will provide people the opportunity to review information they have learned in SST practice skills in the context of the app and apply newly acquired skills in the real world Phase I of this study is designed to produce a prototype of the product and test the prototype in a small randomized controlled trial to assess its feasibility credibility acceptability and preliminary efficacy