Perceived connections between information and communication technology use and mental symptoms among young adults - a qualitative study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Prospective associations have been found between high use of information and communication technology (ICT) and reported mental symptoms among young adult university students, but the causal mechanisms are unclear. Our aim was to explore possible explanations for associations between high ICT use and symptoms of depression, sleep disorders, and stress among young adults in order to propose a model of possible pathways to mental health effects that can be tested epidemiologically.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a qualitative interview study with 16 women and 16 men (21-28 years), recruited from a cohort of university students on the basis of reporting high computer (n = 28) or mobile phone (n = 20) use at baseline and reporting mental symptoms at the one-year follow-up. Semi-structured interviews were performed, with open-ended questions about possible connections between the use of computers and mobile phones, and stress, depression, and sleep disturbances. The interview data were analyzed with qualitative content analysis and summarized in a model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Central factors appearing to explain high quantitative ICT use were personal dependency, and demands for achievement and availability originating from the domains of work, study, social life, and individual aspirations. Consequences included mental overload, neglect of other activities and personal needs, time pressure, role conflicts, guilt feelings, social isolation, physical symptoms, worry about electromagnetic radiation, and economic problems. Qualitative aspects (destructive communication and information) were also reported, with consequences including vulnerability, misunderstandings, altered values, and feelings of inadequacy. User problems were a source of frustration. Altered ICT use as an effect of mental symptoms was reported, as well as possible positive effects of ICT on mental health.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The concepts and ideas of the young adults with high ICT use and mental symptoms generated a model of possible paths for associations between ICT exposure and mental symptoms. Demands for achievement and availability as well as personal dependency were major causes of high ICT exposure but also direct sources of stress and mental symptoms. The proposed model shows that factors in different domains may have an impact and should be considered in epidemiological and intervention studies.</p

A Study of Chinese Students’ Media Dependence on Douyin in Malaysia

This paper uses the “Media System Dependency Theory” proposed by American communication scholars Paul Rockich and Melvin DeFleur as a research framework to investigate the deep-seated reasons for the dependence of Chinese international students on Jitterbug in social media, and to propose countermeasures. Overseas students are an important force for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and their values will influence the values of the whole society in the future. The international students are in the period of value formation and cognition, so it is very important to grasp the cognition formation in this period. With the advent of the mobile Internet era, short video social media, represented by Jitterbug, has become one of the most popular leisure and entertainment platforms for international students. However, while Jitterbug has brought rich experiences to young people, some negative effects have come along with it. Many international students seem to be inseparable from Jitterbug, gradually developing into a strongly sticky “relationship chimera”. It can be said that tens of thousands of international students not only cannot leave Jitterbug, but also gradually develop a kind of “dependency syndrome”—spending a lot of time and energy indulging in it, experiencing negative effects such as reduced attention span and indifferent interpersonal communication, and becoming doubly dependent on Jitterbug in terms of emotion and behavior. This study aims to examine the effects of the dual dependence on Jitterbug. Therefore, this study hopes to analyze the dependence of international students on Jitterbug as a social media and propose countermeasures to improve the media literacy of international students

Human-centred design methods : developing scenarios for robot assisted play informed by user panels and field trials

Original article can be found at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/ Copyright ElsevierThis article describes the user-centred development of play scenarios for robot assisted play, as part of the multidisciplinary IROMEC1 project that develops a novel robotic toy for children with special needs. The project investigates how robotic toys can become social mediators, encouraging children with special needs to discover a range of play styles, from solitary to collaborative play (with peers, carers/teachers, parents, etc.). This article explains the developmental process of constructing relevant play scenarios for children with different special needs. Results are presented from consultation with panel of experts (therapists, teachers, parents) who advised on the play needs for the various target user groups and who helped investigate how robotic toys could be used as a play tool to assist in the children’s development. Examples from experimental investigations are provided which have informed the development of scenarios throughout the design process. We conclude by pointing out the potential benefit of this work to a variety of research projects and applications involving human–robot interactions.Peer reviewe

Future bathroom: A study of user-centred design principles affecting usability, safety and satisfaction in bathrooms for people living with disabilities

Research and development work relating to assistive technology 2010-11 (Department of Health) Presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 22 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 197

Cognitive Bias Modification on Tabletops

Interest in Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) has been increasing in the field of Human Computer Interaction recently. CBM is usually presented as a training mechanism in desktops computers in the context of psychology therapy. Tabletop technologies can provide an interesting platform for delivering CBM training effectively due to their unique characteristics. However, no evidence of previous CBM interventions over Tabletop has been found. Furthermore, Smartphones are part of our daily life and although using these devices is highly enjoyable, most users develop a psychological dependency over them and lose control on its usage creating an addictive behaviour. Smartphone addicts can experiment problems such as low productivity, social isolation, mood changes, and sleeping disorders among others. In this report we present an experimental study that explore the feasibility of a CBM intervention on a Tabletop to counter Smartphone addiction. An Approach Avoidance Task (AAT) prototype was developed an deployed in a Microsoft Surface. 40 participants were recruited to receive CBM training. Our preliminary results provide evidence of a possible approach bias towards the Smartphone device and interesting interactions between the factors of our experiment. Although further data analysis is required to strongly support these claims, our study provide interesting insights for both Smartphone addiction and CBM research fields.Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovació

Cognitive Bias Modification on Tabletops

Interest in Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) has been increasing in the field of Human Computer Interaction recently. CBM is usually presented as a training mechanism in desktops computers in the context of psychology therapy. Tabletop technologies can provide an interesting platform for delivering CBM training effectively due to their unique characteristics. However, no evidence of previous CBM interventions over Tabletop has been found. Furthermore, Smartphones are part of our daily life and although using these devices is highly enjoyable, most users develop a psychological dependency over them and lose control on its usage creating an addictive behaviour. Smartphone addicts can experiment problems such as low productivity, social isolation, mood changes, and sleeping disorders among others. In this report we present an experimental study that explore the feasibility of a CBM intervention on a Tabletop to counter Smartphone addiction. An Approach Avoidance Task (AAT) prototype was developed an deployed in a Microsoft Surface. 40 participants were recruited to receive CBM training. Our preliminary results provide evidence of a possible approach bias towards the Smartphone device and interesting interactions between the factors of our experiment. Although further data analysis is required to strongly support these claims, our study provide interesting insights for both Smartphone addiction and CBM research fields.Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovació

Dynamic ePROM mobile application to improve diabetes consultations. Incorporating patient-gathered data into ePROMs

People with diabetes live a life of constant need to monitor and manage their illness. Unfortunately, a large number of people with diabetes suffer from diabetes-related distress and depression. A better diabetes consultation can directly impact the health of people with diabetes, both mentally and physically. In this thesis, healthcare practices that previous studies have reported lead to a successful diabetes consultation with an improved health outcome are identified through literature review. The findings are used as the inspiration for designing and implementing a dynamic electronic patient-reported outcome measures (ePROM) mobile application. The application promotes the identified healthcare practices by using the patient-gathered data of each user and tailoring the contents of their questionnaire to them. The application is usability tested with the System Usability Scale is deemed to have good usability (83.75/100) and be a facilitator for better consultations