Designing for Inclusivity and Accessibility of Mental Health Technologies

Abstract

Mental health has been a serious concern among university students, and minority students are known to be particularly vulnerable due to underutilization of mental health services and unfamiliarity with Western health care approaches. My research explores the accessibility and inclusivity of mental health technologies, mainly focusing on how the perspectives and experiences of university students of diverse cultural backgrounds, visible minorities, and international students can inform more inclusive designs. In my first study, I uncovered cultural and communication barriers that suggest that more scaffolding is needed for these students to engage with technologies for their mental health, including supporting storytelling and skill learning from peers as well as providing cultural support and representation. In my second study, I co-designed with campus mental health experts and international students to understand what features and support they desired in these technologies, discovering that stories once again featured heavily in their ideas. For the next two studies, I plan to build and evaluate prototypes that feature a novel storytelling peer support platform.