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Kognito – Emotional Wellness on College and University Campuses

At-Risk for College Students

At-Risk for College Students is a 30-minute, interactive, online-program integrating innovations and research in neuroscience, learning theory, and game technology to provide an effective and highly engaging learning experience. Through interactions and role-play experiences with virtual humans, students learn to:

  • Understand the normal ups and downs and signs of psychological distress
  • Identify common signs of distress, including verbal, behavioral, and situational clues
  • Approach, effectively and empathetically, fellow students about whom they are concerned
  • Use Motivational Interviewing skills, such as open-ended questions and reflective listening, to manage conversations and connect fellow students to assistance, as appropriate
  • Learn about mental health resources on and off campus
  • Avoid common conversation pitfalls, such as attempting to diagnose the problem or giving unwarranted advice
  • Care for their own emotional wellbeing and recognizing when they themselves may need support, thus increasing the likelihood they will seek help

Throughout the program learners are able to access additional information through “Where to Find Help” and “Helpful Links”, which are embedded in the experience.

  • “Where to Find Help” provides colleges and universities the opportunity to share their own procedures and local resources, such as area hospitals, clinics, national lifelines and private practitioners who participate in common insurance plans.
  • “Helpful Links” connects students to national resources that support student mental health, such as Active Minds, the Jed Foundation and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

When do I complete this program?

  • Students are expected to complete the “At Risk for College Students: Bundle” anytime between July 10 – July 31, 2023.

Why am I being asked to complete this program?

At MIT, focusing on your wellbeing by caring for your mind and body, fostering meaningful relationships, and finding purpose will help you to thrive not only in the classroom but in all aspects of your life. MIT students, staff, and faculty are committed to enhancing mental health and promoting community wellbeing. At-Risk, a student recommended program, provides students with opportunities to develop better understanding of issues related to mental health and opportunities to practice skills that provide a foundation for an even more empathic and supportive MIT community.

How long will it take for me to complete this program?

The entire program consists of 5 modules that take a total time of approximately 30 minutes to complete.

What is the expectation for successful completion of the program?

In order to successfully complete the program, students will need to work their way through the series of modules and complete responses to all required questions.

What information will be gathered?

The course may include surveys to help personalize your experience and measure students’ mental health-related attitudes and behaviors. All survey responses are confidential; MIT will only receive information about the student body as a whole and will never see individual students’ responses.

What if I have other questions about the program?

  • Contact training@mit.edu with questions about the Kognito module.
  • For additional questions about the modules in general, please contact Michael Santoro at msan@mit.edu.

What are the technical requirements needed to complete the program? Is there technical support?

To complete the program, you will need Internet access and audio capabilities. If you do not have ready access to a computer, use a computer at a local library, copy center, or community center.

If you experience any technical issues with the course including logging in or Duo authentication, contact the MIT Service Desk (https://ist.mit.edu/help). 

What do I do if I need disability accommodations for this online course?

If you need an accommodation due to a disability in order to complete this online course in its current format, please contact Disability and Access Services, at 617-253-1674 or das-student@mit.edu.

How do I access this program?

This module is hosted through the MIT Learning Center in Atlas.  Be sure to select the “At Risk for College Students: Bundle” found in the Learning Center.

In order to access the MIT Learning Center, you will need to log in to MIT Touchstone using either your MIT Certificate or your Kerberos. You will also need to have your MIT Duo Security two-factor authentication set up.

You can access the links to all of the required modules through the ‘My Training Needs‘ page in the Learning Center. Click on the course name and within the course description page, click the ‘Begin Course’ button located at the bottom.

If at any point during the program, you are asked to create a username or provide an email address, please use your MIT e-mail address.