Hospital Project_

Research

This research examines the potential of virtual environments to foster positive youth development in adverse circumstances, such as having a severe chronic illness or dysfunction that requires organ transplant. This project, funded by the National Science Foundation and the Deborah Munroe Noonan Memorial Fund investigates how to develop technological environments, such as the Zora virtual world to promote positive development in youth and encourage medical adherence and coping strategies among pediatric patients.

 

Since September 2006, in collaboration with the Department of Psychiatry and the Transplant program at Children’s Hospital Boston, we have been running a NSF research project in which solid-organ pediatric patients use the Zora virtual world. As of fall 2008, we begin a new phase in the project with additional funding from the Deborah Munroe Noonan Memorial Fund and we will also be working with the Transplant program at Tufts Floating Hospital for Children. As of summer 2009, we have extended the project to include pediatric campers at Camp For All in Burton Texas. We are also extending our invitation of participation to all youth ages 11-17 who have undergone a transplant. Zora is a three-dimensional multi-user environment that engages youth in building a virtual city, chatting with each other, creating virtual places/characters, and writing interactive stories. Patients connect with other children in similar medical situations from their homes or the hospital and share their experiences with each other. In the process of using Zora they explore strategies that might help them with medical adherence and coping. They also address other areas of concern for them, such as how to ease the transition to school.

 

This NSF and Deborah Munroe Noonan Memorial Fund supported research project examines the extent to which we can leverage youth’s interests in online technologies to create an intervention program to improve the overall well-being and health of pediatric transplant youth. For this research we have developed a specifically tailored psychoeducational program that we implement through engaging transplant youth to participate in Zora. The project goals are to: (1) facilitate peer network building, (2) to encourage medical adherence in pediatric transplant patients, and (3) to support their psychosocial development by assisting their adjustment to lifestyle changes, medical regimen, and school life. 

 

______________With support from:

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& Deborah Munroe Noonan Memorial Fund