We're looking for autistic individuals, their families, and clinicians to join our user research study at the University of Washington Bothell.
We are a research team at the University of Washington Bothell developing Mystoria, an iPad app that uses AI-powered social stories to help autistic individuals prepare for everyday experiences like getting a haircut, traveling, or navigating new environments.
This project is led by Prof. Annuska Zolyomi and her Interaction Design for Education and Accessibility (IDEA) Lab — a team of graduate and undergraduate students dedicated to inclusive technology research.
Social stories, developed by Carol Gray, are a well-established intervention used by families, educators, and therapists worldwide. Mystoria brings this methodology into a modern, accessible app — and we need your help to evaluate its effectiveness and usability.
We are recruiting three groups of participants:
A parent or caregiver together with their autistic child (ages 6-15). You'll create a story together so we can see how families collaborate.
Parents or caregivers of autistic children who want to try the app independently and share their perspective.
Professionals who work with autistic clients on understanding social and emotional experiences.
Sessions are held in-person at UW Bothell, your home, or a partner clinic — whichever is most comfortable.
Each session takes under 60 minutes and is designed to feel relaxed and low-pressure. We're testing the app, not you — there are no right or wrong answers.
Breaks are available anytime, especially for children. If your child has a tough day, we can always reschedule — your child's comfort always comes first.
A key question driving this study is: can the app support child-led story creation?
Most social story tools are designed for adults. Mystoria is built around a "bottoms-up" approach where children have meaningful agency in co-creating their own stories — choosing topics, contributing ideas, and making decisions alongside their caregiver.
Your session helps us understand whether the app's design actually supports this goal, and how we can make it better.
As a thank-you for your time, participants will receive a $40 Amazon gift card upon completion of the session.
Your privacy and your child's privacy are our top priority.
This study has been reviewed and approved by the University of Washington Institutional Review Board (IRB).
If you are interested in participating or learning more, please reach out to us. We'd love to hear from you.
Contact Us at idealab@uw.eduParticipants receive a $40 Amazon gift card upon completion.