Topic: PTSD, Suicide, Stigma, Relationships, Depression
Target Population: Military Families, Adults
Sector: Community-Based
Military Sector: All Branches, Veterans Affairs
This program is delivered to military families, whose Service member has returned from deployment, and caregivers and is intended to impact military families, caregivers, and veterans.
The Kognito Family of Heroes program is a community-based, online, interactive training simulation that is designed to raise participants' awareness of the signs of post-deployment stress in a veteran and help family members and friends develop skills to manage the difficulties post-deployment life presents.
Results from a randomized controlled trial demonstrate that participants significantly enhanced their preparedness and likelihood to recognize signs of post-deployment stress and to approach veterans to discuss their concerns and encourage them to seek help at the Veterans Administration. Participants also reported significant improvements in actual behavior change after discussing their concerns with veterans.
This program intends to teach family members how to approach a veteran they are concerned about without using pressure or criticism, encourage veterans who display signs of psychological distress to seek help, and reduce stigma around mental health issues. Participants engage in virtual role-play and conversations with three emotionally responsive veteran avatars who are experiencing post-deployment stress. This role-play is intended to help participants and veterans manage challenges of post-deployment life:
This program includes a printable summary of best practices and a list of military and mental health resources that are available to participants locally and nationally.
This program was released in 2011 and has been used by the Kentucky National Guard; the Air Force Space Command, which serves military families and Service members in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and Texas; the Veterans Affairs of New York/New Jersey; the Virginia Department of Health; the Arizona Department of Health Services; and the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation. Over 62,000 people have used the program.
No training is required to implement this program.
Considerations for implementing this program include acquiring participant buy-in, purchasing a license or yearly subscription, and ensuring participants have access to a computer with internet capabilities and adequate time to complete the program.
The Clearinghouse can help address these considerations. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
If you are interested in implementing Kognito Family of Heroes, the Clearinghouse is interested in helping you!
Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
This program is 1 hour and is accessible online at all times.
Implementation costs include the purchase of simulations, and the following options are available: yearly institutional subscriptions, custom development, and individual licenses for 1-50 people. Please visit https://kognito.com/buy to learn more.
To move the Kognito Family of Heroes program to the Promising category on the Clearinghouse Continuum of Evidence, at least one evaluation should be performed demonstrating positive effects lasting at least one year from the beginning of the program or at least six months from program completion.
The Clearinghouse can help you develop an evaluation plan to ensure the program components are meeting your goals. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
Contact the Clearinghouse with any questions regarding this program.
Phone: 1-877-382-9185 Email: Clearinghouse@psu.edu
You may also contact Kognito by mail 135 West 26th Street, Floor 12, New York, NY 10001, phone 1-212-675-9234, fax 1-646-217-3677, email info@kognito.com, or visit https://kognito.com/
Albright, G., Goldman, R., Shockley, K. M., McDevitt, F., & Akabas, S. (2012). Using an avatar-based simulation to train families to motivate veterans with post-deployment stress to seek help at the VA. Games for Health, 1(1), 21-28. https://doi.org/10.1089/g4h.2011.0003
