An Automated Mobile Game-based Screening Tool for Patients with Alcohol Dependence

Traditional methods for screening and diagnosis of alcohol dependence are typically administered by trained clinicians in medical settings and often rely on interview responses. These self-reports can be unintentionally or deliberately false, and misleading answers can, in turn, lead to inaccurate assessment and diagnosis. In this study, we examine the use of user-game interaction patterns on mobile games to develop an automated diagnostic and screening tool for alcohol-dependent patients. Our approach relies on the capture of interaction patterns during gameplay, while potential patients engage with popular mobile games on smartphones. The captured signals include gameplay performance, touch gestures, and device motion, with the intention of identifying patients with alcohol dependence. We evaluate the classification performance of various supervised learning algorithms on data collected from 40 patients and 40 age-matched healthy adults. The results show that patients with alcohol dependence can be automatically identified accurately using the ensemble of touch, device motion, and gameplay performance features on 3-minute samples (accuracy=0.95, sensitivity=0.95, and specificity=0.95). The present findings provide strong evidence suggesting the potential use of user-game interaction metrics on existing mobile games as discriminant features for developing an implicit measure to identify alcohol dependence conditions. In addition to supporting healthcare professionals in clinical decision-making, the game-based self-screening method could be used as a novel strategy to promote alcohol dependence screening, especially outside of clinical settings

An Automated Mobile Game-based Screening Tool for Patients with Alcohol Dependence

Traditional methods for screening and diagnosis of alcohol dependence are typically administered by trained clinicians in medical settings and often rely on interview responses. These self-reports can be unintentionally or deliberately false, and misleading answers can, in turn, lead to inaccurate assessment and diagnosis. In this study, we examine the use of user-game interaction patterns on mobile games to develop an automated diagnostic and screening tool for alcohol-dependent patients. Our approach relies on the capture of interaction patterns during gameplay, while potential patients engage with popular mobile games on smartphones. The captured signals include gameplay performance, touch gestures, and device motion, with the intention of identifying patients with alcohol dependence. We evaluate the classification performance of various supervised learning algorithms on data collected from 40 patients and 40 age-matched healthy adults. The results show that patients with alcohol dependence can be automatically identified accurately using the ensemble of touch, device motion, and gameplay performance features on 3-minute samples (accuracy=0.95, sensitivity=0.95, and specificity=0.95). The present findings provide strong evidence suggesting the potential use of user-game interaction metrics on existing mobile games as discriminant features for developing an implicit measure to identify alcohol dependence conditions. In addition to supporting healthcare professionals in clinical decision-making, the game-based self-screening method could be used as a novel strategy to promote alcohol dependence screening, especially outside of clinical settings

Visual Heatmaps in User Experience Design : Attitudes and Adoption Factors

Visual heatmaps, illustrating user behaviour and areas of interest in a two-dimensional graphical representation, have become widely utilized in the user experience (UX) industry. When appropriately utilized, visual heatmaps efficiently summarize and communicate significant volumes of user data to designers. They can even have the capacity to reveal the focal points of users' attention across specific emotional and cognitive states. Despite their benefits, heatmaps are susceptible to misinterpretation stemming from deficient data analysis or lack of focus. Recent academic research has primarily focused on the technical aspects and potential benefits of the technology used in generating visual heatmaps, with a specific emphasis on eye tracking-related technology being prevalent in scholarly articles. In contrast to prior studies, the research objective of this thesis is on the attitudes of UX designers toward this technology and the factors that impact its adoption. This objective is explored through three research questions. To answer these questions, qualitative data was gathered through ten semi-structured individual interviews with UX professionals. The collected data was analysed through thematic analysis. The findings reveal that UX designers are aware of visual heatmap technology but often limit its use in UX design. Attitudes among participants revealed a spectrum, ranging from more cautious, negative and sceptical to positive optimism. Thematic analysis revealed designers with technical background to favour more established methods, while those with visual or humanistic education seeing value in visual format and experimental nature of heatmaps. Heatmaps were considered most effective when complementing findings from other UX tools. Limited resources pose a significant constraint in the utilization of heatmap technology. Interviewees highlighted that recent industry establishment, resulting partially from legislative changes in accessibility and privacy, have further reduced the necessity for experimentation in UX evaluation. The relevance of the results of this thesis may vary depending on e.g. the organizational structure and project scope. As the thematic analysis was conducted during the interviews, the variability of code frequency was observed to stabilize by the end of the final interviews. This indicated successful data saturation and consistency. Given the extensive variety encompassing both the spectrum of technology associated with visual heatmaps and the visual format they present, future research could investigate the effectiveness of specific combinations of heatmap and evaluation methods. Furthermore, additional inquiry could aim to elucidate the reasons behind the attitude gap identified between the technical and humanistic domains in UX design.Viime vuosina visuaalisten lämpökarttojen (eng. heatmap) käyttö on yleistynyt myös käyttäjäkokemussuunnittelussa. Lämpökartat tiivistävät suuria määriä käyttäjistä kerättyä tietoa havainnolliseen graafiseen muotoon. Edistyneimmillä lämpökarttatyövälineillä on kyky yhdistää tietoa käyttäjien keskittymisestä myös tunnereaktioihin, mikä voi olla arvokasta käyttäjäkokemuksen arvioinnin kannalta. Monista mahdollisuuksistaan huolimatta, lämpökarttojen tulkintaan liittyy riskejä, esimerkiksi puutteellisen analyysin tai tavoitteiden rajauksen osalta. Aiempi tutkimus on keskittynyt pääasiassa visuaalisten lämpökarttojen tuottamiseen käytettyyn teknologiaan. Erityisesti silmänliikeseurantaan liittyvää teknologiaa käsittelevät tutkimukset ovat korostuneet. Toisin kuin aiemmissa tutkimuksissa, tämän opinnäytetyön tutkimusaiheena ovat käyttäjäkokemussuunnittelijoiden asenteet lämpökarttateknologiaa ja sen käyttöä kohtaan sekä käytön taustalla vaikuttavat tekijät. Aihetta lähestytään kolmen tutkimuskysymyksen kautta. Laadullinen tutkimusaineisto kerättiin haastattelemalla kymmentä käyttäjäkokemussuunnittelun ammattilaista. Aineisto analysoitiin käyttämällä temaattista analyysia. Tulokset osoittivat, että suunnittelijat ovat tietoisia lämpökarttateknologiasta, mutta sen käyttö käyttäjäkokemussuunnittelussa on rajallista. Haastateltujen suunnittelijoiden asenteet muodostivat kirjon kielteisen varovaisesta positiiviseen optimismiin teknologiaa kohtaan. Teknisemmän taustan omaavat suunnittelijat luottavat alan vakiintuneisiin menetelmiin. Visuaalisen tai humanistisen taustan omaavat suunnittelijat näkevät arvoa lämpökarttojen visuaalisessa muodossa ja kokeellisessa luonteessa. Suunnittelijat pitävät lämpökarttoja tehokkaimpina tilanteissa, joissa niistä saatua tietoa käytetään täydentävästi muiden työvälineiden ja metodien kanssa. Rajalliset resurssit muodostavat merkittävän rajoitteen teknologian käytölle. Käyttäjäkokemusalan ja sen suunnitteluprosessien vakiintuminen on vähentänyt kokeilujen tarvetta myös käyttäjäkokemuksen arvioinnissa. Vakiintumiseen ovat vaikuttaneet osaltaan saavutettavuuteen ja tietosuojaan liittyvät lainsäädännön uudistukset. Koska temaattista analyysia tehtiin haastattelujen aikana, koodien esiintymisvaihtelun voitiin havaita kyllääntyvän. Tämä viittaa tulosten luotettavuuteen. Tulosten merkitys voi kuitenkin vaihdella esimerkiksi suunnitteluprojektin laajuuden tai organisaatiorakenteen perusteella. Koska visuaalisiin lämpökarttoihin liittyvä teknologia ja lämpökarttojen visuaaliset ilmentymät ovat moninaisia, jatkotutkimuksissa tulisi selvittää eri lämpökarttateknologioiden ja -menetelmien sekä näiden yhdistelmien tehokkuutta. Lisäksi olisi arvokasta selvittää vaikuttaako koulutustausta asenteisiin teknologiaa ja sen käyttöönottoa kohtaan

Fibromyalgia Self-Care Management: Use of Essential Oils

Fibromyalgia is a female dominant chronic syndrome of diffuse muscle pain on palpation of at least 11 of 18 syndrome-associated tender points present for 3 months or longer. There is no cure. Self-care management involving multimodal integrative medicine approaches may increase treatment involvement resulting in a sense of control and pain relief. This embedded, single case study explored \u27how\u27 and \u27why\u27 an informant with fibromyalgia chose to initiate and continue self-care management using essential oils over several years to treat symptoms within context reality. Orem\u27s Self-Care Deficit Model and the Principles of Integrative Medicine from the University of Arizona formed the holistic theoretical research frameworks. Mixed methods (descriptive statistics, pattern matching and thematic analysis) were used to analyze and triangulate converging data from four Likert visual analog scales, rheumatologic medical records, indepth interview transcripts, literature reviews, field notes and observations. Results indicated that the informant\u27s skills progressed from using pre-mixed transdermal essential oils applications to using undiluted, neat, layered transdermal interventions of essential oils. Additionally, of the 12 fibromyalgia symptoms treated with essential oils, six significantly improved and 5 different symptoms moderately improved. Compared to pharmacological measures, self-care management using essential oils empowered the informant to more rapidly control her symptoms. Quantitative and qualitative data supported internal and external validity and reliability. Implications indicated the need for further research in fibromyalgia self-care using essential oils to delineate efficacy in symptom management, impact on functional status and measurement development

Effects of Aromatherapy on Test Anxiety and Performance in College Students

Test anxiety is a complex, multidimensional construct composed of cognitive, affective, and behavioral components that have been shown to negatively affect test performance. Furthermore, test anxiety is a pervasive problem in modern society largely related to the evaluative nature of educational programs, therefore meriting study of its nature, causes, effects, and treatment. Aromatherapy is the skilled use of essential oils for physical and emotional well-being and has been used to increase relaxation, attention and memory. This study examined the effects of peppermint and rosemary aromatherapy essential oils and a control scent (apple) on self-reported test anxiety, emotionality and worry subscales of test anxiety, and their effect on test scores of first and second year college science students. Although test anxiety decreased from pre-test to post-test conditions, and test scores increased, no statistically significant changes were noted. No significant association was found between aromatherapy, test anxiety, and test scores

Examining pathways linking maternal depressive symptoms in infancy to children’s behavior problems: The role of maternal unresponsiveness and negative behaviors

The extent to which maternal depressive symptoms in the first 6 months of life is linked with internalizing and externalizing behaviors in childhood through specific insensitive maternal behaviors (unresponsive and overtly negative behaviors) was examined in a sample of 259 mother-infant dyads. In addition, the extent to which these paths were moderated by infant negative emotionality was also examined. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed prenatally and when infants were 6 months and 2 years old. Maternal unresponsive and overtly negative behaviors and infant negative emotionality were observed when infants were 6 months old. Mothers reported on infant’s internalizing and externalizing behaviors when infants were 2 years old. Maternal depressive symptoms were directly associated with higher internalizing behaviors; this path was not mediated by maternal behaviors. Depressive symptoms were unrelated to externalizing symptoms. Infant negative emotionality did not moderate these effects, but was related positively to overtly negative maternal behaviors, and temperament interacted with maternal depressive symptoms to predict unresponsive maternal behaviors. Results suggest that early maternal depressive symptoms, infant negative emotionality, and negative maternal behavior pose risk for infants’ later internalizing behaviors, but the proposed moderated mediation model was not supported

Designing for self-transcendent experiences in virtual reality

This thesis contributes to Psychology and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research with a focus on the design of immersive experiences that support self-transcendence. Self-transcendence is defined as a decrease in a sense of self and a increase in unity with the world. It can change what individuals know and value, their perspective on the world and life, evolving them as a grown person. Consequently, self-transcendence is gaining attention in Psychology, Philosophy, and Neuroscience. But, we are still far from understanding the complex phenomenological and neurocognitive aspects of self-transcendence, as well as its implications for individual growth and psychological well-being. In reviewing the methods for studying self-transcendence, we found differing conceptual models determine different ways for understanding and studying self-transcendence. Understanding self-transcendence is made especially challenging because of its ineffable qualities and extraordinary conditions in which it takes place. For that reason, researchers have began to look at technological solutions for both eliciting self-transcendence to better study it under controlled and replicable conditions as well as giving people greater access to the experience. We reviewed immersive, interactive technologies that aim to support positive experiences such as self-transcendence and extracted a set of design considerations that were prevalent across experiences. We then explored two different focuses of self-transcendence: awe and lucid dreaming. First, we took an existing VR experience designed specifically to support the self-transcendent experience of awe and looked at how the mindset and physical setting surrounding that VR experience might better support the experience of and accommodation of awe. Second, we delved deep into lucid dreaming to better understand the aspects that could help inform the design of an immersive experience that supports self-transcendence. We put those design ideas into practice by developing a neurofeedback system that aims to support lucid dreaming practices in an immersive experience. Through these review papers and design explorations, we contribute to the understanding of how one might design and evaluate immersive technological experiences that support varieties of self-transcendence. We hope to inspire more work in this area that holds promise in better understanding human nature and living our best lives

Using EEG data to predict engagement in face-to-face conversations

To date engagement in face-to-face conversation has been studied almost exclusively through the post event measurement of self-reporting surveys or questionnaires. Electroencephalography (EEG) has been used for decades to examine brain activity for both research and diagnostic purposes. Medical grade EEG equipment is both costly and confined to being used within laboratory settings. With the recent advent of off-the-shelf consumer grade portable EEG-devices, novel psychological research on cognitive computations that have traditionally been confined to self-report, is now a reality. Although it is well documented that people use their cognitive abilities during conversations, an extensive literature search found no studies on the use of EEG data to obtain a neurological engagement score during conversation. Consequently, the present study sought to remedy a gap in the literature, and capitalised on the readily available consumer-grade portable EEG equipment. A within-participants quantitative study with 42 participants examined whether EEG predicted engagement during face-to-face getting acquainted conversations. Participants’ alpha and beta brain activity were examined from EEG data collected during two separate conversations, and participants also completed a post-hoc self-report on their engagement and attention. The results of the study found a significant difference for participants’ alpha brain activity and engagement, but not for the beta activity and engagement. There was also no significant difference found for participants attention and their alpha or beta activity. A surprising additional finding in the present study was a within-participant consistency for both alpha and beta activity across the two conversations, which is consistent with individual differences stability found in other psychophysiological studies. Overall, the present study has found that alpha activity is necessary for neurological engagement during face-to-face getting acquainted conversations. Therefore, future research is warranted on the use of EEG as an additional tool in face-to-face communication to compliment self-report and measure engagement