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A room for design: Through participatory design young adults with schizophrenia become strong collaborators
Author(s) -
Terp Malene,
Laursen Birgitte Schantz,
Jørgensen Rikke,
Mainz Jan,
Bjørnes Charlotte D.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
international journal of mental health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.911
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1447-0349
pISSN - 1445-8330
DOI - 10.1111/inm.12231
Subject(s) - participatory design , citizen journalism , mental health , construct (python library) , participatory action research , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , psychology , photo elicitation , variety (cybernetics) , narrative , computer science , knowledge management , sociology , psychotherapist , world wide web , engineering , psychiatry , linguistics , anthropology , programming language , mechanical engineering , philosophy , parallels , artificial intelligence
Smartphone technology is being increasingly viewed as key to engaging young adults with schizophrenia in their own mental health care. In an attempt to use smartphones as an engagement tool, we conducted a participatory design process, where young adults with schizophrenia ( n = 4), healthcare providers ( n = 7), software designers ( n = 3), graphic designer ( n = 1), graphic recorder ( n = 1), and team leader ( n = 1) co‐designed a smartphone application for use in early phase schizophrenia care. This paper reports the co‐design process. Based on a variety of written data‐sources, the paper describes if, and how, participatory design can help construct a physical and relational environment that enables young adults with schizophrenia to become active participants in the design of a more participatory mental health practice. Guided by Etienne Wenger's construct of Community of Practice, three major categories of characteristics and construction of a physical and relational environment supporting and inspiring participation and engagement were identified: (i) a pre‐narrative about a community of practice, (ii) the room for design is a community of practice and (iii) the community of practice as a practice of special qualities. It is concluded that participatory design can support and inspire participation and engagement in the development of mental health care with young adults with schizophrenia, given that the environment in which participatory design unfolds is transparent, flexible, secure and informal.