Trauma support in your pocket

Description

Research has shown that technology-based approaches to trauma support can help reduce structural and perceptual barriers to seeking care. Despite this, there is a lack of research on digital trauma support for children and young people.

The aim of this project was to develop a trauma support app, designed with and for children and young people, based on the group support program Teaching Recovery Techniques. The app has been co-created in a series of workshops, using the Design Studio method. The team consisted of seven youth advisors between the ages of 14 and 20 years, who have personally experienced trauma, as well as researchers from CHAP. The youth advisors made significant contributions to the mechanics, dynamics and aesthetics of the app.

An important conclusion was that young people with personal experience of trauma can participate actively in the development of a digital trauma intervention. We also saw that the Design Studio was an effective method for the co-creation process, which made it possible to generate and bring together the young people's ideas.

We are now pilot testing the app with young people via schools in areas affected by gun crime.

We who are working in this project

Georgina Warner, Associate professor
Emma Gejjer-Simpson, PhD
Antonia Tökés, research assistant
Tobias Haglöf, research assistant