Context:
At the beginning of the school year I struggled with massive life changes including moving continents & leaving behind my support systems. So I decided to seek help with my therapist back home through Zoom. However, the whole experience fell short of the benefits derived from my in-person sessions, leading to a curiosity about how to enhance this new, inevitable way of life. I took my curiosity to my class of Qualitative Research and found fellow classmates who had similar interests and we began our explorations.
Research Question:
So how does online mental therapy impact the overall feeling of connectedness and emotional disclosure ?
Project Type
Academic
Timeframe
3 Months
My Role
UX Researcher
Team
Tammy
Katrina
Natalie
Tools
Dovetail
Miro
Zoom
In this digital, post-pandemic age, conversations, including therapeutic ones, have migrated to screens for convenience. Yet, numerous factors undermine the online therapy experience. Through this research we explore the intricacies between emotional revelation and the uncertainties of the online realm.
Phase 1: Netnography
This method allowed us to gather large data sets within a relatively short amount of time while understanding people’s unique experiences. We picked Reddit as a core modes of data collection, since it is an anonymous space, individuals are candid in their expressions and opinions. Additionally, the high levels of subjectivity and authenticity made it easy for us to draw out patterns. Leveraging the affinity diagram method on Miro, we organized diverse data and identidied four key themes:
1. Technicality
2.Spatial Issues
3. Vulnerability
4.Contextual Factors.
This thematic categorization unearthed valuable insights into user interactions, steering our strategy for subsequent research phases.
Every post and its comments on each subreddit were thoroughly examined and documented to understand the underlying emotions.
Each element in the affinity diagram was meticulously reviewed and categorized, forming the basis for in-depth analysis.
Phase : 2
Semi-structured Interview
This method allowed us to delve deeper into people's personal experiences, figure out how the four factors (Technicality, Spatial issues, Vulnerability & Contexual factors) we drew out in the 1st phase may impact people’s experiences with online therapy.
Employing our interview guide as a foundational framework, we tried to gain greater control over our research data and get a deeper understanding of our participant . This also helped us in exploring situations where tele-health solutions may work better.
Interview recordings underwent meticulous transcription, ensuring a comprehensive textual representation of participant responses. Transcribed text became the foundation for subsequent in-depth analysis.
Thorough examination of the transcripts was conducted to gain a nuanced understanding of participant experiences. Leveraging tools such as Dovetel, Figjam, we synthesized information, including representative quotes, to visually map key themes and patterns.
This method allowed us to delve deeper into people's personal experiences, figure out how the four factors (Technicality, Spatial issues, Vulnerability & Contexual factors) we drew out in the 1st phase may impact people’s experiences with online therapy.
Employing our interview guide as a foundational framework, we explored situations where tele-health solutions may work better.We asked specific questions in order to gain greater control over our research data and gain a deeper understanding of our participants.