Applied Social Cognitive Skills in the Workplace for Transition-Aged Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

摘要 SIMmersion LLC，Dr.M.Smith(密歇根大学)，Eack(匹兹堡大学)，Connie Sung(密歇根州立大学)，J.D. Smith(西北大学)和Kara Hume(北卡罗来纳州大学)建议开发和测试 工作中的社会认知和情感学习(社会工作)，一个基于计算机的程序，以填补关键的 支持自闭症过渡年龄青年就业可持续性的过渡服务差距 谱系障碍(Tay-ASD)。Tay-ASD在维持就业方面的一个主要障碍是有效地困难 与客户、同事和主管沟通46由于社会认知缺陷7-9、51-54。在基础上建设 研究表明，计算机化的培训/干预可以提高社会技能72、73和社会认知能力 任务执行21、22、74，研究团队将利用社区利益相关者(例如，研究人员、教育工作者； 服务提供者、家庭和患有自闭症的个人)，以指导发展。 社会工作将使Tay-ASD建立有效的工作场所互动所需的知识和技能。 泰-ASD将与一位同行教练一起在一个虚构的3-D工作场所中导航。第1级教学、理解 《职场人》将包括9个模块，重点介绍基本的社会认知策略。第二级、 工作场所对话，将包括三个PeopleSim练习对话(即，响应客户 需求，与同事建立融洽的关系，以及与主管汇报)。第三层，虚拟工作日，将 将知识和实践与相互关联的工作场所活动相结合是在 当天晚些时候的影响对话(例如，客户互动不佳可能会导致建设性的反馈 来自主管)。与学习94、95的脚手架模型相一致，社会工作将自动进步 Tay-ASD通过层级学习成功实现学习目标。 在第一阶段，研究小组将制作社会工作的原型，并招募Tay-ASD(n=30)和教师(n=10)。 就其可接受性、可用性和集成的可行性提供反馈。在第二阶段，团队将 完成开发并进行随机对照有效性实施试验，在该试验中- 登记参加校本过渡服务的自闭症患者(n=338)将被随机分配到注意力控制或 干预组。我们假设，接受社会工作培训的自闭症患者，会表现出更大的 (与他们的主动控制同龄人相比)在(H1)社会认知和(H2)基于工作的社会功能方面的进步， (H3)减少对基于工作的社交接触的焦虑，(H4)通过9个月的跟踪调查维持就业。 这项提议得到了来自教育系统、社区服务提供商、家庭、 和Tay-ASD。如果成功，这项研究可能会导致开发一种新颖的、可扩展的干预措施， 社会工作将具有足够的范围和严谨性，通过以下方式帮助填补就业服务的关键缺口 为患有自闭症的过渡年龄青年做好准备，使其在工作中变得更有社交能力。

ABSTRACT SIMmersion LLC, Drs. M. Smith (U. of Michigan), Eack (U. of Pittsburgh), Connie Sung (Michigan State U.), J.D. Smith (Northwestern U.), and Kara Hume (U. of North Carolina), proposes to develop and test the efficacy of Social Cognitive and Affective Learning at Work (SOCIAL-Work), a computer-based program to fill a critical gap in transition services supporting the sustainability of employment for transition-age youth with autism spectrum disorders (TAY-ASD). A major barrier TAY-ASD have in sustaining employment is difficulties effectively communicating with customers, coworkers, and supervisors46 due to social cognitive deficits7-9, 51-54. Building on research that suggests computerized trainings/interventions may enhance social skills72,73 and social cognitive task performance21,22,74, the research team will leverage community stakeholders (e.g., researchers; educators; service providers; families; and individuals with ASD) to guide the development. SOCIAL-Work will allow TAY-ASD to build the knowledge and skills required for effective workplace interactions. TAY-ASD will navigate through a fictional 3-D workplace with a peer-coach. Tier 1 of instruction, Understanding People in the Workplace, will include nine modules focused on foundational social cognitive strategies. Tier 2, Workplace Conversations, will include three PeopleSim practice conversations (i.e., responding to customer needs, building rapport with a coworker, and debriefing with a supervisor). Tier three, Virtual Workday, will integrate knowledge and practice with interconnected workplace activities were the actions made early in the day influence conversations later in the day (e.g., a poor customer interaction may result in constructive feedback from a supervisor). Consistent with a scaffold model of learning94,95, SOCIAL-Work will automatically progress TAY-ASD through the tiers as they successfully achieve learning goals. During Phase I, the research team will prototype SOCIAL-Work and recruit TAY-ASD (n=30) and teachers (n=10) to provide feedback on its acceptability, usability, and feasibility of integration. During Phase II, the team will complete development and conduct a randomized controlled effectiveness-implementation trial in which TAY- ASD enrolled in school based transition services (n=338) will be randomly assigned to the attention control or intervention groups. We hypothesize that TAY-ASD who receive training with SOCIAL-Work, will show greater (compared to their active control peers) gains in (H1) social cognition and (H2) work-based social functioning, (H3) reduction in anxiety about work-based social encounters, (H4) sustained employment by 9-month follow-up. This proposal has garnered commercial support from education systems, community service providers, families, and TAY-ASD. If successful, this research could lead to the development of a novel and scalable intervention, and SOCIAL-Work will have with sufficient scope and rigor to help fill a critical gap in employment services by preparing transition-age youth with ASD to become more socially competent at work.