Adapt a self-compassion survey for patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Summary

I was part of the Diabetes Design Initiative (DDI), which focuses on a people-centered approach towards diabetes. DDI works with leading manufacturers, members of the diabetes community, patient advocates, researchers, clinicians, government, and industry to find solutions for current and future diabetes technologies. For my project The Diabetes Design Initiative aimed to develop a self-compassion digital assessment tailored for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The project aimed to adapt the existing Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) to introduce diabetes related variables and provide people with T2D insights into their self-compassion and areas for improvement.

Background

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition where the body cannot properly regulate blood glucose levels. It is managed through diet, exercise, medications or insulin. People with T2D often struggle with stigma, shame, guilt and frustration which negatively impact their self-management and health. Self-criticism and blame are common in this population and hinder coping abilities and well-being.

In contrast, self-compassion encompasses mindfulness, kindness and shared humanity. It reduces stress, depression and improves quality of life and health behaviors. The SCS measures self-compassion as a unitary construct with 6 subscales. Studies show self-compassion positively influences diabetes outcomes by reducing negative emotions.

Solution

A diabetes specific self-compassion digital assessment (DS-SCDA) would provide T2D individuals tailored insights into their self-compassion to guide intervention. The existing SCS omits important diabetes-related considerations, thus new questions would need to be developed. Expert review and user testing would ensure the DS-SCDA suitability, usefulness and impact.

Process

The design process involved secondary research, user interviews, expert review and iterative prototype testing. Interviews explored diabetes-related self-compassion themes absent from the SCS to develop new questions. An expert panel reviewed the questions for relevance and clarity.

This was the time line our team followed throughout the term to ensure we were able to deliver on time.

Secondary Research

Much of our process was influenced by Dr. Hood's findings at Stanford University School of Medicine,(Hood), and the original Self-Compassion Survey made by Dr. Neff (Neff) Dr. Neff conceptualizes the concept of self-compassion and provides an excellent explanation of why it is important. K.K Hood's article provides scientific research and experimentation to support the discovery of an adaptation for Type 1 diabetes patients. We were able to scientifically and logistically back up our idea of adapting this survey for Type 2 Diabetes patients by reading these articles.

Constraints

The team had a few ideas for changes to the survey in terms of questions and how we would ask them, but after consulting with our advisors, we learned more about the sensitive nature of this survey. We had to keep the psychometric-values within the wording of the question and the standardization in the results of the original Self-Compassion Survey because we were basing our survey on Dr. Neff's, which is backed by data. To avoid any discrepancies in results, we decided to keep the wording as close to the original as possible.

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After finalizing the questions to include in the self compassion survey we moved on to testing the questions with real type 2 patients.

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Initial Prototype

Prototype design presented the questions in a simple and intuitive format with visual representations to aid understanding. User testing collected feedback on ease of use, question clarity, comprehensiveness and willingness to use the DS-SCDA.

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User Interviews

Protocol: We evaluate the questions for comprehension, acceptability, and relevance as part of our survey protocol. Comprehension is the process of determining whether a question is easily understandable and answerable. Acceptability refers to whether the question offends or elicits an unfavorable emotional response. Relevance refers to determining whether or not the question contributes to the understanding of self-compassion. Furthermore, we hope to assess the overall experience of Type 2 individuals answering diabetes-related questions, while acknowledging limitations in the validity of some questions.

Interview Insights: Insights from Jon's user testing results suggest that individuals with Type 2 diabetes face difficulties in managing the condition and may feel out of control. However, Jon believes in tough-love at times and tries to maintain a state of "homeostasis." He also has a different outlook on self-compassion now than he did two years ago and believes that the survey tool can validate one's feelings.

Interview Insights: Insights from Afsha user testing results suggest that users may interpret the self-compassion vocabulary differently, which could affect the accuracy of the survey results. Suggested improvements for the survey tool include providing more examples of situations where one is practicing self-love and asking users to relate to those scenarios. After taking the survey, Afsha was interested in understanding her score, why she received that score, and how she could improve it.

Design Changes:

The insights from both user testing results highlight the importance of understanding the user's perspective and providing clear explanations of the survey questions and results.

The survey tool should also offer a range of resources and support to help users improve their mental well-being and self-compassion.

Final Prototype

In conclusion, through a human-centered and iterative approach, a diabetes specific self-compassion assessment was developed that extends the SCS to address the unique experiences of people with T2D. By providing tailored insights and monitoring progress over time, the DS-SCDA aims to enhance well-being, coping skills and health outcomes in this population. Overall, this case study demonstrates how designers can create inclusive and impactful solutions by developing deep empathy and incorporating invaluable user input.

Check it out on figma! (Figma File)