How compassionate is eMental Health? Applying card sorting to develop a new scale to evaluate eMental Health tools. (assist in doing scientific research)

How compassionate is eMental Health? Applying card sorting to develop a new scale to evaluate eMental Health tools. (assist in doing scientific research)

Type of assignment:                    MA / Internship (combination)

Internal or external?:                    Internal

Maximum number of students:     3

Individual collecting of data?        Yes

Type of research:                         qualitative/ quantitative

Description of the assignment:

Compassion refers tot he recognition and alleviation of suffering (Strauss et al., 2016). It is an essential value in mental health care, where its presence leads to improved outcomes and client satisfaction. Currently, eMental health tools are making their way into mental health care. Professionals have doubts about how blending digital tools into treatment impacts experienced compassion. However, there is no measurement tool to let clients evaluate whether they experience the use of eMental health in their treatments as compassionate or not. In this assignment, you will discover what clients in mental health care find important to evaluate eMental health on compassion, and develop a new scale for this.

Previously, a card sorting task (‘Q-sorting’) has been used to let mental health professionals give input on what they find important for a scale to evaluate eMental health on compassion from their perspective. A similar study for the client version of this scale has also already been set up. We are now looking for enthusiastic students that would like to contribute to this innovative scientific research.

Through this assignment, you will gain insight into compassion and how it can be applied to eMental health. You will be involved in recruiting participants, conducting an interesting (online) card sorting task with participants, and analyzing qualitative and quantitative data to develop a new scale. The materials for this study are already prepared and an extensive paper on the previous scale development with mental health professionals serves as a guideline for your own assignment. You will be supported in conducting the task with participants and the analysis, and experience what it is like to work on a scientific study.

Who are we looking for?

Preferably Dutch-speaking students, though non-Dutch students are also welcome. Motivation to help in the recruitment of participants with experience as client in mental health care through the network of the supervisor, your own network, or via the Sona system.

More information?:

Charlotte van Lotringen, c.m.vanlotringen@utwente.nl