Designing for Social Support and Emotional WellbeingConor LinehanLincoln Social Computing Research Centre

Introduction

Mental and emotional health difficulties are a leading cause of disability worldwide (Funk et al., 2010).

Interpersonal relationships & social support can play a vital role in emotional health and wellbeing (Assay et al., 1999; House et

al, 1998).

Technologies that effectively support emotional wellbeing are likely to offer significant benefits to individuals and to society.

Structure

Emotional Wellbeing / Mental health

Using technology to support mental & emotional health Why? Previous work Design constraints / unique requirements

ENACT project Background Work in progress

Conclusion

Emotional wellbeing

“…fundamental to our quality of life. It enables us to experience life as meaningful and is an essential component of social cohesion, peace and stability in the living environment, contributing to social capital and economic development in society.” (WHO, 2005)

Emotional Wellbeing

Mental health is unfortunately thought of only when there are problems

Indeed, most of the research in this area is on interventions for mental health problems

Mental Health Problems

Worldwide, 151 million people suffer from depression at any one time, and 844,000 people die by suicide every year (Funk et al., 2010).

One in four UK adults experiences at least one diagnosable mental health problem in any one year, and one in six experiences this at any given time (ONS, 2001).

Work in this field has potential for massive impact – genuinely improving peoples lives

Technology & Emotional Wellbeing - Why?

Most people with problems don’t seek help Stigma Unaware help is available / necessary Geography

Lowering costs – increasing access

Technology can help improve interventions record behaviour more accurately

Technology can connect people Willingness to disclose info online

Previous work

Online interventions for common mental health conditions. Beating the Blues

Meta-review results broadly agree that, for depression and anxiety dis-orders, cCBT has been found to be no less effective than therapist-led cognitive behaviour therapy (Fouroushani et

al., 2011).

Previous work

Mood recording using mobile phones (Burns et al, 2011).

Mobile device to record sleep behaviour & deliver intervention (Riley et al, 2010).

Text messaging to help smokers to quit

Computer games to help kids control diabetes (Baranowski et al, 2008).

Unique Requirements

Framework for complex health interventions (Campbell et al., 2000).

Normalisation Process Theory (Murray et al,

2010).

Design & Evaluation Guidelines for Mental Health Technologies (Doherty et al., 2010). How to do HCI in mental health field The health problem, the type of therapy, The therapist role, the user needs, the NHS, GPs & referral,

ENACT background

CBT – a form of therapy that combines cognitive re-structuring with behavioural intervention. Systematic & modular.

Effective for common mental health problems.

Self-help CBT is effective

CCBT is effective when engaged with

But not currently engaged with very well

ENACT goals

Improve the uptake of & adherence to CCBT through the use of social media

Make the experience as much like using a computer in 2011 as possible

Mobile Apps, Social Network, Game Mechanics

Insomnia as a test case

conclusion

This area is emerging – very exciting.

Potential to have real impact on huge proportion of the population

Lots of potential applications of this approach

References

WHO. Mental Health Action Plan for Europe: Facing the Challenges, Building Solutions In proc WHO European Ministerial Conference on Mental Health, 2005.

Funk, M., et al., eds. Mental health and development: targeting people with mental health conditions as a vulnerable group. 2010, WHO: Geneva.

Office for National Statistics (2001). Psychiatric Morbidity among Adults living in private households, 2000. London: Office for National Statistics.

Assay, T., et al., The Empirical Case for Common Factors in Therapy: Quantitative Findings, in The Heart and Soul of Change. 1999, APA: Washington. p.23-55.

House, J.S., et al., Social relationships and health. Science, 1998, 241 p.540–45.

Doherty, G., Coyle, D., & Matthews, M. (2010). Design and evaluation guidelines for mental health technologies. Interacting with Computers, 22, 243-252.

References

Campbell, M., Fitzpatrick, R., Haines, A., Kinmonth, A.L., Sandercock, P., Tyrer, P.,(2000). Framework for design and evaluation of complex interventions to improve health. British Medical Journal 321, 694–696.

Murray E, Treweek S, Pope C, MacFarlane A, Ballini L, Dowrick C, Finch T,Kennedy A, Mair F, O’Donnell C, Ong BN, Rapley T, Rogers A, May C: Normalisation process theory: a framework for developing, evaluating and implementing complex interventions. BMC Med 2010, 8:63.

Fouroushani, P.S., Schenider, J., & Assareh, N. (2011). Meta-review of the effectiveness of computerised CBT in treating depression. BMC Psychiatry 11, 131.

Burns, M.N., Begale, M., Duffecy, J., Gergle, D., Katt., C.J., Giangrande, E., & Mohr, D. (2011). Harnessing content sensing to develop a mobile intervention for depression. J Med Internet Res, 13, 3.

Riley, W.T., Mihm, P., Behar, A., & Morin, C.M. (2010). A computer device to deliver behavioral interventions for insomnia. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 8, 2-15