Type: Bachelor, Master

Date: Immediately

Supervisor: Shanshan Hu

Description: Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) increasingly incorporate avatars to create more engaging and supportive experiences for users. Yet, it remains unclear which design characteristics of avatars are seen as particularly important in therapeutic contexts and how different types of avatars can support mental health goals. The thesis employs an interview-based study with experts to evaluate and further develop an existing taxonomy and set of avatar archetypes for avatars in DMHIs, with a particular focus on how experts assess key design characteristics and the suitability of different archetypes for distinct therapeutic roles.

Requirements: The thesis requires conducting a series of semi-structured interviews with experts who have experience with DMHIs, in particular avatar-based DMHIs, such as researchers in psychiatry, psychology, information systems for mental health, and DMHI designers. Tasks include becoming familiar with an interview guide based on the existing taxonomy and archetypes, recruiting suitable participants, conducting the interviews, and analyzing the resulting qualitative data.

Reference:

• Rehm et al. (2016). What role can avatars play in e-mental health interventions? Exploring new models of client–therapist interaction. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 7, 186.
• Lattie et al. (2022). An overview of and recommendations for more accessible digital mental health services. Nature Reviews Psychology, 1(2), 87-100.
• Miao et al. (2022). An emerging theory of avatar marketing. Journal of Marketing, 86(1), 67-90.