ELSA - eCounseling & Learning-System for Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Project duration: 3.1.2022 to 22.12.2023
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders in childhood and adolescence. The main symptoms are attention deficit, hyperactivity and impulsivity. On the one hand, these deficits result in difficulties for the children in coping with everyday life. On the other hand, the behavioral problems of the affected children also have an impact on the well-being and functioning of the entire family. They experience increased everyday stress and dysfunction in family life.

Auf roter Oberfläche liegen Spielkarten verteilt, jemand spielt mit den Karten

Therefore, family-centered work and the accompanying support of these families to master the everyday situation is of great importance. This can be done, for example, by providing assistance in structuring the day, which should be integrated into the existing daily routine. Here, occupational therapy know-how makes an important contribution by providing practicable and effective solutions.
The aim of this research project is the product-oriented, user-oriented development and evaluation of the application "ELSA" based on the technical and occupational therapy expertise at the FH Campus Wien. The resulting application is intended to support guardians of children with ADHD as the primary target group.

Project goals

The "ELSA" application is intended to perform the following functions:

Provide concrete recommendations for action for parents, which:
- contain individualized everyday activities, play ideas, behavioral, support and everyday tips,
- are based on occupational therapy knowledge
- are dependent on the children's abilities and
- are illustrated by pictures and everyday videos.
Include an information function, which:
- summarizes important information about the disorder from an occupational therapy perspective (e.g. sensory perception processing), and
- contains therapy options for ADHD.

By assessing the resources and deficits of their children, the guardians receive individualized and therefore tailored support tips for everyday life via an algorithm in the application.