Therapy Finding & Well-being App

Purpose

To guide students through the process of finding a therapist while assisting them in improving their mental health on the way.

Vision: Be the #1 end-to-end therapy guidance app for students in Germany.

Our Miro Board:https://miro.com/app/board/uXjVMS20kNg=/?share_link_id=30836837161

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Contextual Inquiry

The contextual inquiry was conducted to observe how the university students who have experiences with mental health and therapy (including those who seek/consider therapy, and currently in a therapy) use current platforms and sources to find a therapist and what they feel through this process.

Participants

Interviews were conducted with 14 participants who are currently university students (N= 10) who have experiences with mental health and therapy, and living in Germany and four therapists who work in Germany.

Method

As a method, a combination of observation and semi-structured interviews were used. The questionnaire was created (see Interview Questionnaire) based on the motivation to understand what the users look and need for the most in this process and how these can contribute to the development of the future scenarios.

Procedure

Convenience sampling was used to recruit the participants. The 20-minute interviews took place via phone or online video meeting tools. During the observation, consensual screen recording was used. Data collection was carried out through spreadsheets and analysed by using thematic analysis.

Interview Questionnaire

FOR THERAPISTS

1) How do your clients approach you?

2) Differences in approaches from students?

3) Do you have any needs when it comes to the process of potential clients approaching you?

4) Do you have ideas on how the process of approaches could be improved?

FOR STUDENTS

Introduction

1) Introduce yourself and explain the purpose of the interview.

2) "This interview is confidential and there is no right or wrong answers. It is a safe space for sharing what you feel like."

3) Can you tell me about your current status and about your experiences with mental health and therapy?

Observation of Actual Behavior

1) How would you typically start your process of searching for a therapist, using your preferred method (e.g. internet search, insurance provider, referrals)? Please think out loud and tell us their reasoning behind their actions. (ask for consent to screen record.)

2) Observe their behaviour and take notes on any obstacles or barriers they encounter. (Starting point, Needs, Websites/Apps visits, Findings, Not Findings, Features, Frustrations).

3) How would you describe your emotional states throughout the search process?

Goals, Needs & Criteria

As a student:

1) What are your goals/needs that motivate you to do this process?

2) Criteria for deciding on what support/platform to use?

Problems Faced Throughout the process

As a student:

1) Were there any challenges before starting your search for a therapist?

2) How did you go about finding a therapist? What sources did you use (e.g. internet, referrals, insurance provider)?

3) What are the main challenges you have faced, or are currently facing when trying to find a therapist?

4) Have you ever encountered any obstacles or barriers when applying for a therapist?

Potential App Functionalities Throughout the Process

As a student:

1) What kind of functionalities would encourage you to start the process?

2) What kind of functionalities would have helped you overcome the challenges you faced when trying to find a therapist?

3) What kind of functionalities would make the process of applying for a therapist more efficient?

Feedback on Potential App Features

1) If an app existed to guide you through the process of finding a therapist, what kind of features would be most helpful or appealing to you?

Feedback on Related Solutions

1) What kind of solutions have you used before and what did you like/dislike about them?

2) Are you aware of other offers and what do you know about them?

Closing

“Thank you for your time and insights! You can also share if there is anything else you would like to add on this topic.”