eDiagnosing mental health in neurodevelopmental disorders: Experiences with person centered development of a self-report tool.

Abstract

The MindMe project, related to the development of a tool system Inventory for Supported Psychological Evaluation (iSpe®), aims to design and develop a digital tool for the assessment of mental illness in people with cognitive challenges. In this paper, we describe and discuss experiences from the project over the last three years, with a primary focus on end-user involvement.

Results indicated that active user participation provided new insights at all stages of development. User feedback supplemented previous research findings and accessibility guidelines, ensuring that the solutions met the actual needs of the target audience. Usability testing and feasibility studies confirmed the tool’s effectiveness in enhancing comprehension and articulation of mental health symptoms among users. However, challenges such as response difficulties to symptom severity and reluctance to use audio support were also identified.

The project advances the understanding of user-centered design in psychological test development for individuals with NDD by documenting iterative feedback loops and user-centered approach that offers a practical framework for future projects. The collaborative approach ensured that the developed tool was clinically relevant, user-friendly and accessible, and can serve as a model for future projects.