ACTapp
In my Master's Thesis I implemented a demo Mental Wellness Application (MWA) that used a Biofeedback Device (BD) to send timely notifications to its users. The application was based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles and its objective was to aid students who suffered from anxiety. Additionally, I conducted a user needs study and a user evaluation to test the app's performance.
Overview of my research process.
Pre-study
During the pre-study three psychologists were interviewed online. The purpose of the interviews was to obtain guidance from experts to design and develop a demo MWA based on ACT theory that could help students manage their anxiety.
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​The data collection methods used were a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview to each participant. The findings resulted in eight themes that would be taken into account while designing the application.​
The design
In order to test the interaction between the users, the MWA, and the BD, I decided to design and develop a functional web based application. This way, while evaluating the design, the users could use the application in a natural environment and receive notifications thought the day. At the time of my research, the application was available for PC and Android devices through a Chrome web browser.
The Biofeedback Device
The application connects to a BD through Bluetooth that detects the user's stress levels in real time. The BD used in my research was the Moodmetric smart ring. Two units were facilitated for my research by the Finnish company Moodmetric (currently known as Nuanic).
The moodmetric smart ring
If the user's stress levels reach a high measurement the app will send them an email notification, letting them know that their stress levels are high and prompting them to use the application.
Example of an email notification received by the users when their stress levels are high.
User interface versions
Two versions of the application were created, "With Ring Version" (WRV) and "No Ring Version" (NRV). The first version utilizes the BD to send notifications to the users and the second one does not. The idea is to test both versions with different user groups and compare the results from both.
Images and colors
According to the pre-study, the interface contains colors and images that allude to nature and are calming yet visually interesting.
Desktop background image.
Mobile background image.
The app's logo.
Icon representing the BD.
Registration and login
When users access the website for the first time they are welcomed by a landing page. They are not able to move forward until they complete registration. If they already have account they are able to login.
Landing page.
Register form.
Sign in form.
Navigation and homepage
The navigation of the app is achieved through a menu that contains four sections: home, mindfulness exercises, diary, and values. Plus, the app's logo at the far left corner and logout option at the far left.
Main menu.
In the WRV of the app, the homepage contains a box in which the users can interact with the BD. There is an icon representing the Moodmetric ring, the state of the connection to the ring, a number that represents the user's stress level, and a button to start or pause the connection to the BD.
WRV homepage.
In the NRV there is no interaction with the BD so a calming quote has been placed in that space.
NRV homepage.
Mindfulness exercises and learning material
ACT theory states that people should strive to live in the present moment, accept uncomfortable feelings, and create distance between their thoughts. To incorporate these aspects into the app some mindfulness exercises in video format were included. The users could follow them when they were feeling stressed or when the app prompted them to.
Additional videos which explained relevant concepts were added in this section as well.
Values section
ACT theory encourages people to define their life values to use them as motivation in life as well as actionable steps they can take towards them in daily life.
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In this section users can define their values and actionable steps so they can keep them in mind thought their day or as future reference.
Values section.
Diary section
As mentioned by the psychologists at the pre-study, it's sometimes necessary for people to notice their avoidance behaviors as well as challenging situations they might face. They suggested it was good practice to have them keep a diary in which they could keep track of both these concepts.
Diary section.
Evaluation
Ten university students participated in the evaluation of the app. They were divided into two groups WRU and NRU. Participants in the WRU group utilized the WRV of the app and participants in the NRU group used the NRV.
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Quantitative data was obtained from the app's usage logs that were automatically recorded each time a user interacted with the application. It indicated number of videos watched, number of diary entries created, and number of values created per user.
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Qualitative data was obtained through semi-structured interviews and the data was analyzed using thematic coding.
