portfolio
mediPLAYtion
My collective research on using digital media to distract patients during medical procedures.
Dissertation
Prescribing mediPLAYtion for Pain: The Relationship Between Digital Media and Distraction Coaching During Needle Pokes
My doctoral dissertation for the Educational Psychology and the Learning Sciences PhD program at The University of Iowa College of Education. It compares how adults use handheld and widescreen devices to distract children during painful medical procedures, and looks at how the quality of that distraction affects reported pain and distress. Children reported less pain with handheld devices but received lower quality distraction than with widescreens, since widescreens made adults more likely to show interest and offer support while using the device. That interdependency between device and coaching ability is what led to the mediPLAYtion theory: specific actions that promote cooperative engagement with digital devices to reduce pain during medical procedures.
Read it here
Infographic
mediPLAYtion Infographic
The full mediPLAYtion infographic. It explains why distraction matters during medical procedures, what mediPLAYtion is, and how to use it. The lower half outlines the types of media best suited for mediPLAYtion and the kinds of games that work best for capturing a child's attention. Free to download and print for personal, non-commercial use.
Check it out
Mobile
mediPLAYtion for Mobile
A concept for using mediPLAYtion as a mobile-responsive site or in-app reference, breaking the infographic down into smaller components. The home screen centers on the graphic that outlines Adult-Child, Adult-Device, and Child-Device interactions, since that's the most relevant information for patients and families. The rest of the infographic lives on other screens, reachable by tapping the nav bar or swiping. Most patients carry a smartphone, so putting this on a mobile platform keeps it accessible wherever they are.
Take a peek
Ignite Talk
mediPLAYtion Ignite Talk
A recording of the Ignite Talk I gave at the 2017 Digital Media & Learning Conference at UC Irvine.
Watch it here