Evaluation of a Computer-Based Version of Child Planned Activities Training

Challenges to implementation, such as engagement in intervention activities and maintaining implementation fidelity, exist within traditional delivery systems of evidenced-based parenting programs that can impact either the effectiveness of or the wide-spread adaptation and use of an intervention. Given these challenges, research is needed to explore and identify additional delivery methods, and examine their impact on feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness. Researchers have looked to technology as a promising supplement or alternative to traditional methods of delivery. Two studies examined the effects of a computer-based version of Child Planned Activities Training (cPAT), an evidence-based home visitation program that focuses on improving parent-child interactions, on parent’s use of intervention strategies, parent-child interaction skills, and child behavior. The program combined computer-based tutorials with in-home coaching. Parent satisfaction, engagement during home visits, parental stress, and depressive symptoms were measured. Seven mothers and their children aged 3 to 5 years participated. Study 1 evaluated the pilot presentation of the intervention with one family as a means of understanding program feasibility and usability using an A-B design. Feedback from Study 1 informed revisions to the computer-based presentation and intervention procedures used in Study 2. Study 2 evaluated the effects of the revised computer-based intervention on parent and child outcomes using a multiple baseline design with six families, divided into two cohorts. The computer-based cPAT intervention was feasible to implement and parents reported high rates of satisfaction and usability. Results from Study 2 support the use of the computer-based cPAT intervention in improving parent use of cPAT strategies. Parent-child interaction skills and appropriate child behavior increased for all parents who completed the post-intervention observation (n = 5). Additionally, parent engagement in intervention activities increased or remained high across all participants (n = 6). Changes in parent stress and depressive symptoms were observed in some but not all families. These findings contribute to the existing body of literature on the use of technology-based interventions for teaching positive parenting skills to families from low-income backgrounds with preschool-aged children. Additionally, the findings expand upon the body of research evaluating technology-based versions of cPAT by incorporating computer-based delivery of the intervention. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed

Widening participation in technology design: A review of the involvement of children with special educational needs and disabilities

This article presents a review of the design methods and techniques that have been used to involve children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in the technology design process. Situating the work within the established child–computer interaction research sub-field of participatory design, we examine the progress that has been made in relation to the participation of this specific child population. An extensive review of the literature in this area has been undertaken and we describe the different roles, responsibilities and activities that have been undertaken by both the child and adult participants within previous technology design projects. We also highlight the different types of outcome from this previous work involving children with SEND, exploring the impact the children’s participation has had on both the resulting technology as well as the impact on the child participants themselves. Finally we conclude this review with a set of reporting recommendations for technology designers and researchers aiming to involve this population in future technology design projects

Widening participation in technology design: A review of the involvement of children with special educational needs and disabilities

This article presents a review of the design methods and techniques that have been used to involve children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in the technology design process. Situating the work within the established child–computer interaction research sub-field of participatory design, we examine the progress that has been made in relation to the participation of this specific child population. An extensive review of the literature in this area has been undertaken and we describe the different roles, responsibilities and activities that have been undertaken by both the child and adult participants within previous technology design projects. We also highlight the different types of outcome from this previous work involving children with SEND, exploring the impact the children’s participation has had on both the resulting technology as well as the impact on the child participants themselves. Finally we conclude this review with a set of reporting recommendations for technology designers and researchers aiming to involve this population in future technology design projects

Information and communication technologies (ICT) for enhanced education of children with autism spectrum disorders

Recent developments in the area of information and communication technologies for people with special needs has led to significant changes in the way specialists and educators can address the daily impairments posed by people with abnormal behaviour, such as autism. Computer based educative methods are increasingly being considered as a key tool for educating people with autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs). Recent research has demonstrated that persons with autism, especially children, enjoy interacting with computers particularly as they are free from the expectations and judgments that make social interaction problematic. Virtual Environments (VEs), usually accompanied by three dimensional (3D) humanoid characters have been proven to play an essential role in special education and social interventions. Emotionally expressive avatars (a computer user’s representation of himself/ herself or alter ego), can advance the quality of tutor-learner interaction, with unobtrusive wireless sensors integrating an autistic person’s feedback and reaction. In this paper we review some developments in information and communication technology (ICT) for managing children with ASDs and also describe the approach we are taking to developing a platform to enhance and mediate the teacher-child educational process

Unmasking the Power of Play Through TUI Designs

Research on the potential benefits of technology for autistic children is an emergent field in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), especially within the Child-Computer Interaction Community. At the same time, there are concerns about what these interventions and technologies are for and who benefits. We present a research and design approach for Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) for minimally verbal to nonverbal autistic children following a neurodiversity narrative through three field studies developed and evaluated with three groups of children within a semi-structured scholastic environment between 2018 and 2021 in the UK. We discuss our insights for research and TUI designs in the context of social play for nonverbal autistic children and critically reflect on the methods and approaches we used. We do this to disrupt the normalisation agenda that subtly permeates the field of HCI and to direct designers’ attention toward supporting autistic ways of being in the world

Evaluating Digital Creativity Support for Children: A Systematic Literature Review

Creativity, the process of creating something new and valuable, benefits children by improving their skills and development, encouraging interaction and engagement, and enabling the generation and expression of novel ideas. In recent years, interactive digital tools have emerged to support the user’s creativity in the open-ended creation of new artifacts. However, the question of evaluating the creativity happening in the interplay between children, digital tools, and products is still open. This systematic literature review investigated the evaluations of digital creativity support tools for children and identified 81 peer-reviewed relevant articles from the last 10 years. This research contributes to practitioners and researchers by providing an overview of the evaluations in a framework based on 10 factors (value, novelty, fluency, enjoyment, user feeling, collaboration, expressiveness, immersion, flexibility, and interaction), nine product areas, three approaches, and five methods. The review demonstrated that the evaluations differ widely, and the area lacks a standard evaluation framework. We propose the dimensions of our analysis as an initial framework for situating the evaluation of digital creativity support tools for children that the child–computer interaction community can further refine

Valuation of EuroQol Five-Dimensional Questionnaire, Youth Version (EQ-5D-Y) and EuroQol Five-Dimensional Questionnaire, Three-Level Version (EQ-5D-3L) Health States: The Impact of Wording and Perspective

© 2018 ISPOR–The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research Background: Valuations of health states were affected by the wording of the two instruments (EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-Y) and by the perspective taken (child or adult). Objectives: There is a growing demand for value sets for the EQ-5D-Y (EQ-5D instrument for younger populations). Given the similarities between EQ-5D-Y and EQ-5D-3L, we investigated whether valuations of health states were affected by the differences in wording between the two instruments and by the perspective taken in the valuation exercise (child or adult). Study Design: Respondents were randomly assigned to EQ-5D-3L or EQ-5D-Y (instrument) and further into two groups that either valued health states for an adult or for a 10-year-old child (perspective). The valuation tasks were composite time trade-off (C-TTO) and discrete choice experiments (DCE), including comparisons with death (DCE + death). Members of the adult general population in four countries (Germany, Netherlands, Spain, England) participated in computer-assisted personal interviews. Methods: Two-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and post hoc tests were used to compare C-TTO responses and chi-square tests were conducted to compare DCE + death valuations. Results: A significant interaction effect between instrument and perspective for C-TTO responses was found. Significant differences by perspective (adult and child) occurred only for the EQ-5D-3L. Significant differences in values between instruments (EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-Y) occurred only for the adult perspective. Both significant results were confirmed by the DCE + death results. When comparing EQ-5D-3L for adult perspective and EQ-5D-Y for child perspective, values were also significantly different. Conclusions: The results identified an interaction effect between wording of the instrument and perspective on elicited values, suggesting that current EQ-5D-3L value sets should not be employed to assign values to EQ-5D-Y health states

Respecting, Facilitating and Recognising Children's Contributions in HCI (Extended Abstract)

Child Computer Interaction is concerned with the research, design, and evaluation of interactive technologies for children. Working with children in HCI is rewarding and fun but managing that work so that children are kept comfortable and can participate in meaningful ways is not always easy. This course is based on over 20 years’ experience of working with children in research, design, and evaluation. It will provide attendees with practical tips to organise sessions with children, with signposts to methods for research, design, and evaluation, and will specifically consider the ethics of children's participation with checklists to support us in doing our most ethical work possible

Assessing fun: young children as evaluators of interactive systems.

In this paper, we describe an exploratory study on the challenges of conducting usability tests with very young children aged 3 to 4 years old (nursery age) and the differences when working with older children aged 5 to 6 years old (primary school). A pilot study was conducted at local nursery and primary schools to understand and experience the challenges working with young children interacting with computer products. We report on the studies and compare the experiences of working with children of different age groups in evaluation studies of interactive systems