{"id":14076,"date":"2025-06-25T12:39:17","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T12:39:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/8d.nl\/projecten\/compassionate-technology-in-mental-health-care\/"},"modified":"2025-12-17T13:13:33","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T13:13:33","slug":"compassionate-technology-in-mental-health-care","status":"publish","type":"projecten","link":"https:\/\/8d.nl\/en\/projecten\/compassionate-technology-in-mental-health-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Compassionate Technology in Mental Health Care"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

Compassionate Technology in Mental Health Care<\/h1>\n\n\n

How can technology and humanity go hand in hand?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In collaboration with PhD candidate Charlotte van Lotringen (University of Twente), 8D developed a card set to support healthcare professionals and clients in integrating smartwatches into lifestyle-oriented treatments in mental healthcare. The set encourages dialogue and reflection, and is currently used as a research tool to assess whether the intervention fosters a greater sense of compassion between practitioner and client.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n \n
\n
\n <\/i>\n
1<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n Explore how digital tools such as smartwatches can enhance compassion in therapeutic relationships <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n <\/i>\n
2<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n Design an intervention that allows for customization and equitable interaction between client and practitioner <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n <\/i>\n
3<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n Develop a card set suitable for both group and individual treatments, with or without technology <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\n\n \n
\n \"\"\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n \n
\n\n
\n \n <\/div>\n\n
\n
\n Questions? Need a sparring partner? <\/h5>\n

\n Call 058 843 57 57<\/a>\n <\/h4>\n \n

\n Maarten<\/strong> likes to think along! <\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Compassionate<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n \n\n
\n \n\n

Why compassionate technology?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Mental healthcare has been under pressure for years. Digital tools are often seen as opportunities to relieve this pressure but can clash with the core human values of the field. Technology is often perceived as distant or impersonal, while practitioners place great value on genuine connection with their clients. This perception impedes the adoption of technical tools, even those that could potentially enhance care or ease workloads.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

The project \u2018Compassionate Technology in Mental Health Care\u2019 therefore places the value of \u2018compassion\u2019 at the heart of the design and implementation of digital tools. In collaboration with mental health institutions and e-health developers, a team from the University of Twente explores what is needed for digital tools to actually support and strengthen human connection. By prioritizing compassion, the project aims to make technology more applicable to the mental healthcare context while contributing to more sustainable care.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n \n \n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

\"\"Approach<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charlotte van Lotringen focused her research<\/a> on the use of smartwatches in lifestyle-oriented group treatment, a technology already available in many institutions but still underused in practice. Through five co-design sessions<\/a> with practitioners and clients, she explored what is required to meaningfully integrate these wearables into therapeutic practice in a way that strengthens compassion and the therapeutic relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sessions produced various prototypes, including posters, infographics, and conversation cards to help professionals initiate discussions about smartwatch use. Ultimately, the card set proved to be the most promising: an accessible and flexible tool that facilitates meaningful conversations about technology in care. After testing, Van Lotringen approached 8D for additional design support. We helped refine key design questions such as: How can we ensure inclusivity for clients without a smartwatch? How do we make the cards suitable for group settings? And how do we ensure clarity and visual calm? We applied the early stages of our social design methodology<\/a> to guide this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Designer Bas from 8D introduced the idea of adding discussion statements to the cards, which makes it possible for the group to select the relevant cards in an interactive and useful way. The result is a set that is flexibly deployable and adds value across various care contexts. Read more about this collaboration in our design and research interview series, featuring Charlotte van Lotringen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"Compassionate<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n \n
\n
\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n \n \n <\/div>\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n \n \n <\/div>\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n \n \n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/div> \n <\/div> \n\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n