Designing voice interfaces to support mindfulness-based pain management.
Digital health January 1, 2023 Sanjana Mendu, Sebrina L Doyle Fosco, Stephanie T Lanza et al. 5 citations
Chronic pain affects about 20% of U.S. adults, and non-addictive treatments like mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) are increasingly important. A key challenge is keeping people engaged in home practice over time. Researchers interviewed 10 MBSR facilitators about using a voice interface (smart speaker) to support home practice. Facilitators supported the idea, especially for people with limited motor function, and noted that voice interfaces offer a sense of social presence that may help sustain engagement. The findings demonstrate that trained mindfulness facilitators find a voice interface acceptable for supporting home MBSR practice, leading to design recommendations for technologies that provide long-term support for mindfulness interventions.