Co-Design for Mental Health: an interdisciplinary study on the impact of design thinking on mental health
Lead Research Organisation:
The Open University
Department Name: Faculty of Sci, Tech, Eng & Maths (STEM)
Abstract
The proposal draws from research the applicant conducted in collaboration with Islington Mind, Kensington and Chelsea Mind, Dragon Café, the V&A and Depression Alliance. This project idea evolves from the development of a series of collaborative design workshops designed and piloted within the context of mental health, where participants were guided through various activities from identifying adversities to creating design ideas that respond to these. Participants who were diagnosed with a wide range of pathologies from Schizophrenia and bipolar disorders to depression and anxiety, claimed participation had improved their general wellbeing. For example, participants reported changes on self-esteem, their perspective on themselves, their sense of isolation, being more thoughtful and reflective, as well as changes in their sense of agency and behaviour. One participant stated: 'I have thought more in the past 4 weeks than the last 20 years (...) my brother is asking me what's that design thing you are doing; you seem really different'. The objective of this PhD research project would be to develop a theoretical framework to
understand why and how these changes appear to happen. At the same time, the research aims to develop practical tools and processes for the partner organization that can complement their existing line of research on peer to peer support, empowerment and user led recovery.
understand why and how these changes appear to happen. At the same time, the research aims to develop practical tools and processes for the partner organization that can complement their existing line of research on peer to peer support, empowerment and user led recovery.
| Title | GAME |
| Description | A boardgame co-design with clients of the Psychosis Therapy project who have experience of psychosis. GAME: The board game is designed to encourage collaboration over competition, and the exchange of ideas and perspectives in a non-judgmental way. Some players for instance commented 'I have shared things I wouldn't have done otherwise' or 'I didn't know I was so self-conscious'. Game is designed to help participants wonder, get to know themselves and connect with one another and the environment. There are no winners or losers and interaction among participants is the main benefit. To achieve this, the board game involves players in addressing questions that relate to different themes, through different forms of interaction. To date, GAME has been played in these contexts: by the co-designers in the mental health charity, with other peers and trainee psychotherapists, by PhD design students and professors at a design summer school, and at informal settings with colleagues and friends. It has also been adopted and used by clients and staff from a different service in Islington Mind, the Crisis café, which is currently giving some promising feedback on the way it guides interaction among participants, such as mental health practitioners and clients. People who have played it expressed its potential relevance to different contexts of use (e.g. psychotherapy, peer support, design education, diagnostics). GAME is a tremendous achievement, stemming from co-designers unique knowledge and insights on Stewardship, or taking care of, each other and the world, and an intellectual and creative engagement with the meaning and diversity of human experiences. |
| Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Impact | Clients and staff from both Islington Mind and PSychosis Therapy project are currently using it and providing feedback. It has been accepted in the PDC Participatory Design Conference in Colombia as a situated action, to be tryed and exhibited with local people in Manizales (Colombia) and conference attendants. Meeting to take place to discuss posibilities to present it as an event in the Reading Room at the Welcome Collection, in relation to Play well exhibition or other alternative programe. |
| Description | Conference walk |
| Organisation | Artangel |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Organize an activity -a walk- as part of a conference - European Academy of Design conference in Dundee. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Help recruit participants from the walk, including volunteers to document the activity. Help organizing the activity in a safe way and safeguard the process as well as interaction with conference attendants. |
| Impact | Journal publication. Multi disciplinary : Design and mental health, art therapy. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Islington Mind |
| Organisation | Islington Mind |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The services of the charity were analysed in preparation for the PhD fieldwork projects. Clients needs and assets were discussed and summaries were provided. Two projects were further developed where clients participated, one of which became an independent collaboration due to the restructuring of the organizations happening in parallel. Various design outcomes were developed in collaboration with the clients, which were disseminated in their platforms (e.g. twitter) |
| Collaborator Contribution | Supervision in relation to the projects to take place with the clients with mental health problems. Management of space and timeframes for project. Help with recruitment of clients as research participants. |
| Impact | Various design outputs. Research publications. Multi disciplinary : Design and mental health |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Psychosis Therapy Group |
| Organisation | Islington Mind |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Psychosis Therapy Project works in association with Islington Mind, Mental health charity that is collaborator of the PhD project. The organization has become independent during the progression of the PhD, and begin running projects in association with other mental health charities. As fieldwork for the PhD research a design project was organized in collaboration with the Psychosis Therapy Project. The staff manager from the service has overviewed the work and supervised the research student in order to work with their clients, people with experience of psychosis on a weekly basis. A memorandum or understanding was drafted with more details of the contributions of each parties. |
| Collaborator Contribution | >Supervision by staff members of the Psychosis Therapy Project. >Help with recruitment of clients from the service and safeguarding. > Guidance with activities and ways of working with clients. > Management for space and timetables for activities to take place. |
| Impact | Variety of design outcomes during the 5 months that the collaboration lasted. One final design outcome registered under creative commons, a boardgame. https://www.islingtonmind.org.uk/game-a-board-game-co-designed-by-clients-at-the-psychosis-therapy-project/ Research outcomes: publications. Interdisciplinary: Design discipline, and Psychotherapy - Mental Health. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Talk in Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Talk in the 'Creating Uncertainty' conference in Ancona 2018. Audience were researchers from a variety of fields such as social and clinical psychology, and management research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |