Public defence in Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, MPsych Lauri Lukka

Title of the thesis: User-Centered Design of Game-Based Digital Mental Health Interventions

Doctoral student: Lukka Lauri
Opponent: Associate Professor Saskia M. Kelders, University of Twente, the Netherlands
Custos: Associate Professor Matias Palva, Aalto University School of Science, Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering

New dissertation advances the design of game-based mental health interventions.

Psychologist Lauri Lukka’s dissertation advances the design of mental health interventions. Currently, the needs of patients and mental health professionals are not sufficiently considered in intervention development. Lukka’s research generates valuable insights on user needs and behavior, while also introducing novel data gathering methods. The dissertation focuses on unconventional game-based interventions, which incorporate elements from entertainment games to broaden treatment reach and enhance effectiveness.

The dissertation examined how patients and clinicians perceive digital interventions. It found that adult depression patients interested in using a novel game-based intervention, Meliora, form a specific subgroup, characterized by a strong connection to gaming and the use of games to alleviate psychiatric symptoms. From the clinicians' perspective, the research reveals that while the use of digital tools is becoming more common, adoption rates vary widely, and the tools used do not necessarily improve productivity. Furthermore, clinicians’ views on video games are often polarized, which could influence the acceptance of game-based interventions in healthcare.

The dissertation also introduced two novel methods for better incorporating user needs into the design process. The CORTO questionnaire method facilitates repeated data collection from users and is particularly suited for interventions intended for long-term use. The second method, the user journey, leverages usage data analysis to identify weak links in the intervention. Both methods were shown to increase the precision of data, which enables designing more user-centered interventions.

Mental disorders are common, but more than two-thirds of affected individuals do not receive adequate treatment. Even for those who do, existing therapies do not always achieve favorable outcomes. While digital interventions show great potential to expand access to care, they are often underutilized by patients. Lukka’s dissertation offers clinicians and intervention designers valuable tools and insights to promote a more user-centric approach in developing new digital mental health solutions, ultimately aiming to improve the quality of mental health care. 

Key words: digital interventions, mental health, user-centered design, serious games

Thesis available for public display 10 days prior to the defence at: https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/doc_public/eonly/riiputus/ 

Contact information:

Doctoral theses at the School of Science: https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/52