Research Article
Computing and Mental Health: Intentionality and Reflection at the Click of a Button
@INPROCEEDINGS{10.1145/3154862.3154877, author={Maria Angela Ferrario and William Simm and Adrian Gradinar and Stephen Forshaw and Marcia Tavares Smith and Thomas Lee and Ian Smith and Jon Whittle}, title={Computing and Mental Health: Intentionality and Reflection at the Click of a Button}, proceedings={11th EAI International Conference on Pervasive Computing Technologies for Healthcare}, publisher={ACM}, proceedings_a={PERVASIVEHEALTH}, year={2018}, month={1}, keywords={human agency mental health anxiety autism participatory design human data interaction reflective design}, doi={10.1145/3154862.3154877} }- Maria Angela Ferrario
William Simm
Adrian Gradinar
Stephen Forshaw
Marcia Tavares Smith
Thomas Lee
Ian Smith
Jon Whittle
Year: 2018
Computing and Mental Health: Intentionality and Reflection at the Click of a Button
PERVASIVEHEALTH
ACM
DOI: 10.1145/3154862.3154877
Abstract
Automated passive sensing applications and self-reported smart diaries seem to hold promise for the management of anxiety in autism and other mental health conditions. However, passive sensing often struggles with noisy data, ambiguous feedback and weak user agency over the device, whilst self-reporting relies on user-entered data which can be time consuming and cognitively demanding. To address these limitations, we explore a different approach, whereby individuals consciously actuate personal data capture and are in control of it at all times; yet, the interaction solely involves clicking a button, thus avoiding cognitive overload whilst supporting immediate reflection. We call this approach intentive computing. Through our initial investigations we found that conscious interactions cannot only provide real-time relief in anxiety management, but can also function as memory anchors irrespective of the content captured and even prior to data visualization.
