Research

The purpose of this project is to assess the feasibility, acceptability, usability, and impact of WorkChat: A Virtual Workday as an intervention to support income growth through sustained employment for adults with psychosis spectrum disorders (e.g., schizophrenia). Under the leadership of the Principal Investigator Matthew Smith, WorkChat was developed to support sustained employment for autistic adults and is a conversation simulator delivered via internet browsers. Specifically, WorkChat facilitates conversations with virtual customers, coworkers, and supervisors through a zoom-type interface that automates four levels of feedback on their performances. The tool is designed to help individuals gain the social skills and mastery to achieve and maintain employment goals. Notably, WorkChat was developed in partnership with the autism community and has never been evaluated among individuals with psychosis spectrum disorders. Furthermore, several studies suggest that autistic people and individuals with PSDs share similar challenges in how they interact with the social world with many of these challenges extending to work settings.

Matthew J. Smith, School of Social Work, U-M