@phdthesis{Seah:2024,
author = {Seah, C},
title = {Designing and Evaluating Mindfulness Conversational Agents for Persons with Dementia and Caregivers},
year = {2024}
}

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TY  - THES
AB  - Dementia is one of the most prevalent global public health challenges and part of the major causes of dependency and disability worldwide. It is a debilitating disease that impacts not only the person with dementia but their caregiver (the “dyad”). Mindfulness interventions have positive effects for dyads but are rigid, time consuming and are not designed for dyads. Furthermore, using voice based conversational agents has not been done for dyadic mindfulness and may enhance accessibility and personalisation. This thesis explores how novel dyadic mindfulness conversational agents can be designed to benefit dyads, identifying user preferences and user needs, through the development and usage of a working prototype. We explored mindfulness interventions for dyads and technologies like conversational agents for health, before conducting a user research study through virtual semi-structured interviews with 10 experts and 5 dyads to understand the potential needs for the intervention. After which, we developed a working prototype through a user centred design approach comprising 4 cycles, incorporating the feedback from 10 dyads and 4 experts. Lastly, through a 30-day guideline assessment study using the working prototype, 6 dyads were eligible to participate, and completed the study. Assessments, surveys, and interviews were done pre and post study, while dyads filled in daily worksheets to track progress. From the various studies conducted, we identified initial user needs based on participants visualising the prototype. We then developed a working prototype and understood usage preferences and enhanced user needs based on dyad’s experiencing the prototype virtually. After the 30-day guideline assessment study, pre-post assessments showed improvement. Intervention and usage preferences further reveal that dyadic mindfulness conversational agents created using a user centred design approach, integrating user needs iteratively, can be beneficial for dyad
AU  - Seah,C
PY  - 2024///
TI  - Designing and Evaluating Mindfulness Conversational Agents for Persons with Dementia and Caregivers
ER  - 

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