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BackgroundIndividuals with autism often experience heightened anxiety in workplace environments because of challenges in communication and sensory overload. As these experiences can result in negative self-image, promoting their self-efficacy in the workplace is crucial. Virtual reality (VR) systems have emerged as promising tools for enhancing the self-efficacy of individuals with autism in navigating social scenarios, aiding in the identification of anxiety-inducing situations, and preparing for real-world interactions. However, there is limited research exploring the potential of VR to enhance self-efficacy by facilitating an understanding of emotional and physiological states during social skills practice. ObjectiveThis study aims to develop and evaluate a VR system that enabled users to experience simulated work-related social scenarios and reflect on their behavioral and physiological data through data visualizations. We intended to investigate how these data, combined with the simulations, can support individuals with autism in building their self-efficacy in social skills. MethodsWe developed WorkplaceVR, a comprehensive VR system designed for engagement in simulated work-related social scenarios, supplemented with data-driven reflections of users’ behavioral and physiological responses. A within-subject deployment study was subsequently conducted with 14 young adults with autism to examine WorkplaceVR’s feasibility. A mixed methods approach was used, compassing pre- and postsystem use assessments of participants’ self-efficacy perceptions. ResultsThe study results revealed WorkplaceVR’s effectiveness in enhancing social skills and self-efficacy among individuals with autism. First, participants exhibited a statistically significant increase in perceived self-efficacy following their engagement with the VR system (P=.02). Second, thematic analysis of the interview data confirmed that the VR system and reflections on the data fostered increased self-awareness among participants about social situations that trigger their anxiety, as well as the behaviors they exhibit during anxious moments. This increased self-awareness prompted the participants to recollect their related experiences in the real world and articulate anxiety management strategies. Furthermore, the insights uncovered motivated participants to engage in self-advocacy, as they wanted to share the insights with others. ConclusionsThis study highlights the potential of VR simulations enriched with physiological and behavioral sensing as a valuable tool for augmenting self-efficacy in workplace social interactions for individuals with autism. Data reflection facilitated by physiological sensors helped participants with autism become more self-aware of their emotions and behaviors, advocate for their characteristics, and develop positive self-beliefs.

BackgroundCollege students’ mental health is at an all-time low. Students are increasingly disclosing their vulnerable, stigmatizing experiences on online social networking sites (SNSs). Peer support facilitated by SNSs can play a crucial role for the students in coping with mental health–related problems. Thus, it is imperative to understand how university students form perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors toward their peers who are dealing with mental health problems. ObjectiveThis study aimed to provide a better understanding of how college students recognize, perceive, and react to signs of mental health problems in their peers on SNSs. Our ultimate goal in this study was to inform the design of SNSs that can facilitate online peer support. MethodsWe conducted surveys with 226 students as well as semistructured interviews with 20 students at six universities in South Korea. ResultsOf the 226 survey respondents, 150 (66.4%) reported that they recognized signs of a mental health problem on their friends’ SNS posts. However, a considerable number of respondents (62/150, 41.3%) were reluctant to offer support, even when they had identified friends who were at risk; this reluctance was due to a lack of knowledge or confidence and their desire to maintain a distance from at-risk peers to save their identity from stigmatization and to avoid emotional contagion online. ConclusionsDrawing on these results, we provide implications that could explain the construction of students’ perceptions regarding their peers’ mental health problems. We also provide design proposals for SNSs to serve as platforms that facilitate just-in-time and adaptive support exchanges among peers while mitigating stigma-related concerns.

We investigated the effectiveness of a self-regulation strategy on time management leveraged by smartphone capabilities using a theoretical framework of self-regulation that consists of four elements: 1) goal setting; 2) task strategy utilization; 3) self-monitoring and reflection; and 4) self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation. We determined the goals and strategies adopted during college life by surveying 295 college students and identified time management as a fundamental element for achieving such goals and strategies. To improve students' time management, we developed a smartphone application, automated time manager (ATM), designed to provide users with visualizations of their physical activities and phone usage reports and also to acquire smartphone sensor and usage data. From a field study of 46 college students, we highlighted three primary user experiences-awareness of unawareness, preferred feedback, and contextual but obvious use-and an overall positive time management outcome with ATM. We present an empirical study that transforms self-regulation, a well-known approach in social sciences, into computing and discusses the salient design implications for supporting time management in a more effective manner with a smartphone application.

Individuals with autism need a network of support to overcome the wide range of challenges in their daily life. Social media hold the promise for improving the quality of life of individuals with autism by offering remote advice for these daily challenges. In the paper, we study an online autism forum as a social question-and-answer (Q&A) venue. We examine 1,277 threads on the forum to characterize topics and types of questions asked by members. Our findings indicate that the majority of questions seek subjective advice and require knowledge about socially appropriate behavior—knowledge perhaps not easily elicited from the forum itself. Based on the identified opportunities and challenges, this paper contributes design recommendations for features in pervasive social computing systems that enhance online Q&A experience for individuals with autism.