Project Aims:

to design mindful enquiry praxes that investigate the diagnostic experience of ADHD Women. This spoke to speculative futures of digital mental healthcare design.

Abstract:

The study aimed to create a mindful and compassionate space for digital participatory design activities with women diagnosed with ADHD. In this mindful context, participants explored their memories and perceptions of diagnosis through somatic and relational design probes. This approach sought to understand how future mindfulness-informed digital tools and services can better support the well-being of women undergoing ADHD assessments.

Existing clinical criteria foregrounds male ADHD diagnostic markers, leading to the female expression of ADHD being frequently misidentified as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, or bipolar disorder. However, clinical trials of mindfulness and compassion-based training programs have demonstrated improvements in symptom expression and overall well-being for those with ADHD.

By integrating the mindful paradigm with design methods, the study produced a case study that highlights its contextual utility. Six participants identifying as ADHD women came together for two online workshops to mindfully explore their diagnostic experiences in Scotland.

Discussion:

The study revealed that the mindful praxes and activities had uncovered previously undisclosed emotional aspects of diagnostic experience. This data shows potential utility to inform emotional and therapeutic design modalities.

This suggests the potential to integrated these bespoke praxes into future healthcare design workshops that aim to perform deep and short investigations ‘lived experience’ accounts.

Participant feedback revealed the research experience to be seen as positive, a sense of well-being beyond the workshop itself. This finding suggests a potential for the design research space to embody therapeutic and restorative qualities.

Conclusion:

The study had the twin objectives of investigating female diagnosis and the potential of mindfulness as an informant of lived experience.

Although the sample size was small, we have glimpsed a view of diagnosis as an emotionally heightened time, where concepts of self are challenged.

Mindfulness appeared to allow the unpacking of memory perceptions and reframing that afforded a sense of healing and releasing of negative emotions.

These insights demonstrate potential to mindfully and compassionately inform future diagnostics and healthcare services, so that ADHD Women may be diagnosed with a sense of ease.

Project Aims:

to design a community training pack with educational points that fostered environmental behaviour change - regards clothing and textiles - in Scottish communities.

Abstract:

This paper reports on the findings from a year long community engagement programme, where materials were designed and iterated with two diverse community groups in Glasgow.

The two community groups selected were catagorised as belonging to a hard-to-reach demographic. One was an immigrant community with a religious focus, and the other teenage mothers engaging in a life-skills training programme.

In both groups, the environment was of little concern and educational materials had previously revealed little impact. Environmental funding bodies were frustrated by the results.

A participatory and action based design approach was employed to engage the groups trainers and their respective communities.

Discussion:

The findings revealed that public perceptions to be a core concern, for example, how we look to our peers! Buying new and wearing different things every time we see our friends appeared important. Sewing, mending and reusing clothing were seen as a social signal of poverty.

The training packs were designed to include teaching points, discussion starters, and how to brainstorm ideas for community action. These were tested and iterated within the groups.

Conclusion:

This study revealed that our actions are often dictated by what we think other people do or think about us.

Coming together in groups to share laundry tips, and sewing skills resulted in a healthier and more eco-conscious mindset towards our clothing. The study itself initiated the set up of clothes swaps and repair cafes, and achieved small wins such as participants visiting a charity shop for the first time.

This community peer-led co-design approach appeared to create greater behaviour change than the traditional environmental awareness raising campaigns.

Project Aim:

The project set out to mindfully design a mental health programme for women with lived experience of challenging mental health and wellbeing.

Abstract:

This study reports on the findings of a three year programme of “mindful slow-stitching” with a group of women aged 25-65.

A framework for mindful sewing was established then iterated upon by the group, a standard eight-week mindfulness training programme was adapted to suit the group’s needs. This result was a bespoke weekly crafts session in which participants had ownership.

Slow stitching is derived from the environmentally conscious slow movement, which seeks to create counterbalance to fast-paced, time poor, contemporary life. It is a reflective practice that asks you to consider all facets of our life where convenience trumps environmental considerations.

Discussion:

Findings suggest that sewing compliments engagement in mindfulness through externalising practice in activity. As such the group were able to unpick their anger and shame, or accept mistakes as an aesthetic deviation from any plan.

Connections and friendships formed, in what had been a socially isolated cohort. Participants expressed a renewed sense of a purpose, and the unexpected side effect of improved time keeping.

Many additional creative hobbies were taken up by the group, venturing into poetry, crochet going to arts events.

Conclusion:

The co-designed structure arrived at for the sessions, began with mindful exercises and movement, a period of silent sewing, reading of text or poem followed by mindful communication and sharing on a particular theme.

Findings suggests that the format created was was helpful in moving focus away from individual mental difficulties to a collective or shared sense of awareness towards the richness of human experiences. Having sewing as an object of attention, appeared to create a buffer for experiencing potentially challenging mental or physical pain.