IT-supported Stress Management: Mediating between Sensor Data and Individual Appraisal

Abstract

People are increasingly exposed to stress these days. There are numerous possible triggers for stress, e.g. multitasking or frequent interruptions. Although stress cannot be considered fundamentally negative, high stress levels can lead to negative health effects like depression or burnout. Therefore, it is important to act early in order to prevent stress or cope with it appropriately. While advances in sensor technology offer new opportunities to measure stressors and stress reactions automatically, considering individual appraisal is important in order to provide tailored assistance. We propose a framework for IT-supported stress-management that also integrates cognitive appraisal.