Ed-Dee Williams. Photo by Caitlin Cunningham for BC Photography.
Ed-Dee G. Williams, an assistant professor at the Boston College School of Social Work, has received a two-year, $280,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to evaluate the efficacy of a virtual training program that makes it easier for Black youth with autism to talk about depression.聽
His intervention, called 鈥淎sking for Help鈥� and created with the software company SIMmersion, uses video and speech recognition to simulate conversations with teachers. In practice, participants interact with actor-based avatars following scripts designed to provide realistic but unpredictable responses.
During each conversation, participants select a symptom of depression, describe it to the virtual 鈥渢eacher,鈥� and receive feedback.
Every conversation is unique, giving them repeated opportunities to practice their conversational skills until they feel ready to share their experiences with supportive adults.
鈥淭his funding came right on time,鈥� says Williams, whose research examines the interplay between race and mental illness. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to help us move to the next step of evaluation, not just usability, but improvement in depression recognition, help-seeking behaviors, and overall lower depression scores.鈥�
The app addresses a thorny problem facing Black teens today: Although they are at higher risk for depression than their white counterparts, they are less likely to receive treatment for the condition. What鈥檚 more, nearly 25 percent of Black autistic youth have significant issues with conversation, language, and social skills鈥�14 percent higher than white autistic youth.
The NIH grant will allow Williams and his team to revamp the program鈥檚 content and interface, adding culturally relevant videos in clear language, updating the app鈥檚 peer coach to a younger Black woman who feels more like a relatable friend, and formatting it for tablets and phones.聽
The funding will also support in-person and virtual testing with youth, parents, and community partners, with a particular focus on whether it improves users鈥� understanding of depression, reduces stigma, and encourages help-seeking behaviors.
Williams hopes to finalize the app for public release by 2027, making it commercially available to schools, therapists, and parents.
He has support from several nonprofit organizations, state agencies, and sponsors. The Black Autism Coalition and the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission helped recruit participants for the study, while the Deborah Munroe Noonan Memorial Research Fund provided $160,000 to evaluate the app鈥檚 feasibility in an earlier phase of the project.
鈥淭he goal is for the app to support positive mental health conversations for Black autistic youth,鈥� Williams says. 鈥淲hen they get done using it, I want them to feel more comfortable talking about depression, have a better understanding of depression, and be more inclined to talk about their symptoms.鈥�
