11th EAI International Conference on Pervasive Computing Technologies for Healthcare

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
Maria Angela Ferrario1,*, William Simm1, Adrian Gradinar2, Stephen Forshaw1, Marcia Tavares Smith1, Thomas Lee1, Ian Smith3, Jon Whittle4
  • 1: School of Computing and Communications, Lancaster University
  • 2: Lancaster Institute of Contemporary Arts, Lancaster University
  • 3: Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University
  • 4: Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University
*Contact email: m.ferrario@lancaster.ac.uk

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.