Dr. Genova to Study Virtual Reality Job Reentry Training in Traumatic Brain Injury

The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research awarded a $599,103 grant to Helen Genova, PhD, of Kessler Foundation for a study applying virtual reality to improve job reentry skills in individuals with traumatic brain injury

East Hanover, NJ. December 23, 2020. Helen Genova, PhD, received a $599,103 grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) for the three-year study, “Using virtual reality to improve job reentry in adults with traumatic brain injury: a randomized controlled trial.” Dr. Genova, principal investigator, is assistant director of the Center for Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research at Kessler Foundation.

This study is the first to use this program in the population with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. Dr. Genova will collaborate with the University of Michigan on this study. Her co-investigators at Kessler Foundation are Denise Krch, PhD, and Anthony Lequerica, PhD, from the Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research, and John O’Neill, PhD, director of the Center for Employment and Disability Research.

This study will assess the impact of a virtual reality job training program aimed at improving the social competency skills that people with moderate to severe brain injury need to engage successfully in the job reentry process.

The program was developed by SIMmersion LLC in partnership with Matthew J. Smith, PhD, associate professor at the University of Michigan, through funding provided by the National Institute of Mental Health. Dr. Smith found that after using the virtual reality job training program, employment outcomes improved for jobseekers with autism and schizophrenia, as well as young adults.

“This program offers the opportunity for individuals with traumatic brain injury to engage in social job skills. Because this program uses virtual reality, it allows for repeated practice in a virtual environment,” explained Dr. Genova, “enabling individuals to learn to manage the challenges of re-entering the workforce. We anticipate that jobseekers with traumatic brain injury will be able to improve their skills and increase their confidence,” she said, “resulting in better employment outcomes.”

Funding: National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research 90IFRE0031

Learn about ongoing brain injury studies at Kessler Foundation: https://kesslerfoundation.org/research/studies/traumatic-brain-injury

About Kessler Foundation

Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility, and long-term outcomes--including employment -- for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

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