Kub-E: An interactive design device for children with panic disorder

摘要

Anxiety can become a problem if not treated or dealt with in childhood as it can lead to severe disorders and have negative effects for the rest of children's lives. We present an interaction design-driven device idea that uses computer-based self-guided treatments for children who suffer from panic disorder, to help them return to a calm state and warn those around them of their panic attack. Those treatments use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which has strong evidence for prevention and treatment in childhood. Our design process was divided into four phases: an initial one to understand the problem using unstructured interviews with psychologists, literature review, benchmarking and defining those who are affected by the disorder; the second phase focused on idea generation through sketches and wireframes; the third phase on prototypes development; and the last phase was dedicated to visual design and to simulate the device usage. Our design proposal was presented and evaluated through a questionnaire to four experts. As a main result, we have reached a proof-of-concept for a portable cube device that uses personalized tasks to help children redirect their attention from the panic attack, using CBT methods.