Depression is the most common mental health problem in older adults; however, a lack of understanding in the interaction between physical and social causes hinders effective treatment. Unique issues such as age-specific increases in comorbid physical problems and alienation from social contact can make it difficult for health providers to identify instances of depression. These also make it difficult for depressed older adults to communicate with their social resources, such as friends, family, and health providers. Integrating technology-assisted collaboration with members of patients' social network to observe and manage multi-dimensional factors in depressed older adults' states is a potential way to improve the quality of practitioners' treatment-planning around these multi-dimensional factors, as well as provide assistance for family and friends' involvement in managing the depression. We conducted an interview study on stakeholders' perceptions of depression and communication to understand the opportunities and challenges involved in implementing such collaborative design. Interviewees included 16 depressed older adult patients, 10 of their family members, and two psychiatrists. Our findings reveal new insights into 1) patients' and families' social values and understandings of patients' condition, as well as 2) how these values and understandings influenced decision-making on communicating with each other and acting on depression. These insights have implications for the consideration of information and communication systems to aid depressed older adults' recovery and engagement with social network members.

Drug addiction is a chronic condition, marked by compulsive drug use. In previous research, cue exposure and biofeedback technologies proved effective in drug psychotherapy sessions; however, the focus has generally been on the awareness of cravings and the identification of cues. There has been relatively little research on methods aimed at facilitating therapist-patient communication, particularly from a user-centered perspective. In this paper, we describe a qualitative technology probe study exploring the means by which patients identify cues and perceive cravings as well as the way that they communicate with therapists. Our analysis considers the difficulties in cue identification and craving perception, the interactions between the two, and the means by which these characteristics could impact the design of VR support systems in the future.

Smartphone addiction refers to the problematic use of smartphones, which can negatively impact one’s quality of life and even health. We conducted a two-week technology probe study to explore the use of technologies aimed at improving smartphone addiction among seven dyads of adolescents and their parents. Interviews conducted during and after the probe study revealed that manually reporting lifestyle and well-being data could provide motivation to improve one’s lifestyle and well-being by moderating phone use. Sharing smartphone use data with parents was also shown to head off negative communication loops and foster opportunities to overcome the smartphone addiction.

Technology abuse among adolescents refers to the problematic use of technology devices, and the negative impact it can have on lifestyle and one's physical and mental health. This paper reports on in-depth interviews with 15 dyads of adolescent patients, their parents, and four experts with the objective of unraveling the issue of technology abuse. We conducted qualitative analysis aimed at unpacking the contextual factors affecting technology abuse, and differences between adolescents and their parents pertaining to this issue. Our discussions led us to formulate solutions to technology abuse: (1) motivating adolescents by sending timely reminders and providing interactive micro-incentives; (2) promoting communication between adolescents and their parents by sharing usage data related to device usage; and (3) incorporating social supports to complement parental support, while fulfilling the adolescent's social needs. This paper provides valuable insights into the design of technological solutions aimed at mediating technology abuse.

Maintaining an awareness of one’s well-being and making work-related decisions to achieve work-life balance is critical for flexible long-hour workers. In this study, we propose that social sensing could address bottlenecks in worker’s awareness, interpretation of the informatics, and subsequent behavioral change. We conducted a four-week technology probe study by recruiting flexible long-hour professional drivers (Taxi and Uber drivers) and their significant others to use a social sensing prototype which collects data from the drivers and shares it with their partners as well as incorporates partners’ observations. We interviewed them before and after the probe study and found that while technological sensing was able to increase drivers’ awareness of their well-being status and intention to modify behaviors. The “social sensing” design was able to further shape such awareness or intention into action, highlighting the potential of using the sociotechnical approach in promoting work-life balance among long-hour workers.

On-skin displays are emerging as a wearable form factor for the display of information; however, the perception of using such devices in public could determine whether they are eventually adopted or rejected. This study investigated the means by which on-skin notification displays are perceived by the general public. We adopted a mixed-methods approach to the analysis of results from an online survey (n = 254) and in-lab interviews (n = 36) pertaining to the novel form factor, device materiality, and envisioned use cases. The study was conducted in the US and Taiwan in order to examine cross-cultural attitudes toward device usage. The results of this structured examination provide valuable insights into the design of on-skin notification displays for everyday use across cultures.