Robust Modeling of Epistemic Mental States

This work identifies and advances some research challenges in the analysis of facial features and their temporal dynamics with epistemic mental states in dyadic conversations. Epistemic states are: Agreement, Concentration, Thoughtful, Certain, and Interest. In this paper, we perform a number of statistical analyses and simulations to identify the relationship between facial features and epistemic states. Non-linear relations are found to be more prevalent, while temporal features derived from original facial features have demonstrated a strong correlation with intensity changes. Then, we propose a novel prediction framework that takes facial features and their nonlinear relation scores as input and predict different epistemic states in videos. The prediction of epistemic states is boosted when the classification of emotion changing regions such as rising, falling, or steady-state are incorporated with the temporal features. The proposed predictive models can predict the epistemic states with significantly improved accuracy: correlation coefficient (CoERR) for Agreement is 0.827, for Concentration 0.901, for Thoughtful 0.794, for Certain 0.854, and for Interest 0.913.Comment: Accepted for Publication in Multimedia Tools and Application, Special Issue: Socio-Affective Technologie

Masivukeni: Development of a Multimedia Based Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Intervention for Counselors and Patients in South Africa

Effective medical treatment for HIV/AIDS requires patients’ optimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). In resource-constrained settings, lack of adequate standardized counseling for patients on ART remains a significant barrier to adherence. Masivukeni (“Let’s Wake Up” in Xhosa) is an innovative multimedia-based intervention designed to help people living with HIV in resource-limited settings achieve and maintain high levels of ART adherence. Adapted from a couples-based intervention tested in the United States (US), Masivukeni was developed through community-based participatory research with US and South African partners and informed by Ewart’s Social Action Theory. Innovative computer-based multimedia strategies were used to translate a labor- and training-intensive intervention into one that could be readily and widely used by lay counselors with relatively little training with low-literacy patients. In this paper, we describe the foundations of this new intervention, the process of its development, and the evidence of its high acceptability and feasibility

Integrative behavioral couple therapy for intercultural couples: helping couples navigate cultural differences

Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT), an empirically supported and evidence-based third-wave behavioral approach for treatment of couples, is examined in this multiple case study. Specifically, the qualitative experiences of therapists using IBCT in their work with intercultural couples are examined through each therapist’s typed responses to open-ended questions. Each participating therapist in this study contributes by describing one case in which IBCT was used to help the couple navigate cultural differences as part of treatment. This study describes the various stressors faced by intercultural couples, therapists’ formulations of cultural differences, change processes and change mechanisms during treatment, and similarities and differences across therapists’ reports. The study concludes with participating therapists’ recommendations for treatment of intercultural couples in general, and recommendations for utilizing IBCT with intercultural couples. Lastly, implications for future research are provided

Multimodal Emotion Recognition among Couples from Lab Settings to Daily Life using Smartwatches

Couples generally manage chronic diseases together and the management takes an emotional toll on both patients and their romantic partners. Consequently, recognizing the emotions of each partner in daily life could provide an insight into their emotional well-being in chronic disease management. The emotions of partners are currently inferred in the lab and daily life using self-reports which are not practical for continuous emotion assessment or observer reports which are manual, time-intensive, and costly. Currently, there exists no comprehensive overview of works on emotion recognition among couples. Furthermore, approaches for emotion recognition among couples have (1) focused on English-speaking couples in the U.S., (2) used data collected from the lab, and (3) performed recognition using observer ratings rather than partner's self-reported / subjective emotions. In this body of work contained in this thesis (8 papers - 5 published and 3 currently under review in various journals), we fill the current literature gap on couples' emotion recognition, develop emotion recognition systems using 161 hours of data from a total of 1,051 individuals, and make contributions towards taking couples' emotion recognition from the lab which is the status quo, to daily life. This thesis contributes toward building automated emotion recognition systems that would eventually enable partners to monitor their emotions in daily life and enable the delivery of interventions to improve their emotional well-being.Comment: PhD Thesis, 2022 - ETH Zuric

Design and semantics of form and movement (DeSForM 2006)

Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM) grew from applied research exploring emerging design methods and practices to support new generation product and interface design. The products and interfaces are concerned with: the context of ubiquitous computing and ambient technologies and the need for greater empathy in the pre-programmed behaviour of the ‘machines’ that populate our lives. Such explorative research in the CfDR has been led by Young, supported by Kyffin, Visiting Professor from Philips Design and sponsored by Philips Design over a period of four years (research funding £87k). DeSForM1 was the first of a series of three conferences that enable the presentation and debate of international work within this field: • 1st European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM1), Baltic, Gateshead, 2005, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. • 2nd European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM2), Evoluon, Eindhoven, 2006, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. • 3rd European conference on Design and Semantics of Form and Movement (DeSForM3), New Design School Building, Newcastle, 2007, Feijs L., Kyffin S. & Young R.A. eds. Philips sponsorship of practice-based enquiry led to research by three teams of research students over three years and on-going sponsorship of research through the Northumbria University Design and Innovation Laboratory (nuDIL). Young has been invited on the steering panel of the UK Thinking Digital Conference concerning the latest developments in digital and media technologies. Informed by this research is the work of PhD student Yukie Nakano who examines new technologies in relation to eco-design textiles

Exploring Cognitive Complexity Development in a Hybrid Counseling Theories Course Designed Using the Recursive Superstructure

The purpose this research was to explore how an intentionally scaffolded hybrid counseling theories course facilitated cognitive complexity development for counselors in training (CITs). A qualitative portraiture case study design was utilized to illuminate CITs experiences regarding the impact of face to face and online learning on the development of cognitive complexity in the context of theoretical application. Data were collected in five ways: (1) pre, mid, and post questionnaires; (2) online reflection journals and discussion responses; (3) case study and treatment plan; (4) final reflection paper; and (5) individual or dyadic qualitative interviews. Developmental portraits were constructed from the data for each of the 15 participants. Three clusterings of case based themes emerged across participant portraits. Participants demonstrated cognitive complexity development through increased ability to monitor personal reactions, increased awareness of multiple valid perspectives, increased attempts to correct for biases and limitations, and increasingly accurate appraisals of personal strengths and limitations. Implications related to the use of critical and contextual constructivist pedagogy to foster development of cognitive complexity in relation to multicultural and social justice advocacy competencies are discussed. Recommendations for counselor educators who wish to design hybrid or flipped learning environments designed to foster cognitive complexity are provided

Conjoint Therapy for Intimate Partner Violence Among Aboriginal Couples: Service Provider\u27s Perspectives on Therapeutic Content and Activities

The purpose of the study was to identify characteristics of a conjoint therapy program for Intimate Partner Violence with Aboriginal couples. Participation in telephone interviews by professionals in a Canadian province included two questions: How would you address content with Aboriginal men in couple counselling who use abusive behaviour toward their intimate partner? and How would you address activities with Aboriginal men in couple counselling who use abusive behaviour toward their intimate partner?” The results were analyzed using a structured conceptualization procedure called Concept Mapping. Six concepts emerged in response to the first question including: 1) Cultural, 2) Western, 3) Traditional Ways, 4) What a Healthy Relationship Is (and Is Not), 5) Men’s Self Responsibility and 6) Accountability to Family and Community. Three concepts emerged in response to the second question including: 1) Working with Community, 2) Teaching and Learning and 3) Traditional Ways. The results were compared and contrasted with the literature

Emotional precipitants of withdrawing behavior in couple interactions

The demand-withdraw pattern of communication -- a cyclical pattern of interaction in which criticism and emotional or physical exit predominate -- is common amongst couples in distress and is linked to a number of deleterious health and relational outcomes. Inherent in the pattern are individual and dyadic difficulties regulating emotion that contribute to the process of polarization between demanding and withdrawing parties. While numerous therapeutic modalities target the pattern and attempt to facilitate its reduction through a focus on emotions underlying the pattern, few -- if any -- studies have examined the exact nature and quality of emotions that precipitate withdraw through qualitative means. This study utilized 12 participants (6 couples) culled from Christensen and colleagues\u27 (Christensen et al., 2004) five-year randomized clinical trail comparing Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT) with Traditional Behavioral Couple Therapy (TBCT), in order to examine the emotional precipitants of withdraw. Results indicate that frustration is the most common emotion displayed by withdrawing partners of both genders prior to withdraw, followed by hurt, defensiveness, and scorn. Hurt was displayed more often when withdrawing partners voiced their relational concerns to their partners. The frequency and intensity of all emotions displayed increased when those who withdraw listened to relational concerns voiced by their partners. Implications for future research are discussed