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Online Self-Help Group App Features

The document discusses the development of an online self-help group application to provide mental health support through peer-led discussion forums, personalized chat rooms, and articles tailored to different issues like loss, addiction, or depression. The proposed application would assess users' needs, divide discussion groups by topic, allow private chatting, track user progress over time, and incorporate feedback to improve the user experience and support offered. The team plans to build the application using the MERN stack with TailwindCSS for an accessible and interactive interface.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
10 views2 pages

Online Self-Help Group App Features

The document discusses the development of an online self-help group application to provide mental health support through peer-led discussion forums, personalized chat rooms, and articles tailored to different issues like loss, addiction, or depression. The proposed application would assess users' needs, divide discussion groups by topic, allow private chatting, track user progress over time, and incorporate feedback to improve the user experience and support offered. The team plans to build the application using the MERN stack with TailwindCSS for an accessible and interactive interface.

Uploaded by

Sachin Vm
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

MANIPAL HACKATHON’22

Problem Statement Code: HEA02


Team Name : Team Copium
Team Members : 1. Mayank
2. Tyra Minnal Vinay

Online Self-Help Groups


“Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I
thought I was the only one!’” ~C.S. Lewis
What is a Self-Help Group ?
Self-help groups that are specifically for mental health are made up of peers with
similar mental or emotional issues. Since these groups are typically peer-led and
informal, mental health professionals consider them an adjunct to formal therapy.

Self-Help Groups (SHG) and Rehab are a part of life in today’s world. It has become the
foundation for the well-being and effective functioning of most individuals. It includes
treatment and rehabilitation. Determinants of health include individual attributes such as
the ability to manage one's thoughts, emotions, behaviors, as well as interactions with
others. As of 2022, we live in a world where alcoholism, abuse, smoking, depression,
low self-esteem, and other such negative issues are on the rise. People still find difficulty
in confiding in a person familiar to them even though this generation is way more vocal
about such issues.

Traditionally, people discuss emotionally distressing issues with someone they know, with
someone in a similar situation, with a mental health professional or do not discuss the issue at
all. Computer technology is now altering the traditional ways people handle stress. More
people participate in online support groups on such thematic topics as alcoholism, eating
disorders and depression which provide privacy from the comfort of home.

Although, online social groups are convenient but there are still some major issues that
somewhere restrict people from being more open up and feel relaxed. Some of them
includes : limited feedbacks, limited language skills, different progress status, hoax
perpetuations. There is still need of a platform where people can feel more easy to
interact and use.

To ensure this, our web application will aim at first recognizing the person and the kind
of aid they are looking for. If he/she is facing a loss of someone really close then they
might need a different environment from someone who is there for some addiction
related help. The main features of our application will include:
1. Easy to use UI : The first and most important feature is to have a user-friendly
and interactive UI which will help the person to really understand what we are
aiming at.
2. Divisions of person based on the kind of discussion they want to be part of: At the
time of authentication, we will be taking information of the person like why exactly
they are using this application which will help us in providing that kind of support
to him.
3. Chatroom options : Our application will also have a chatroom option which can
have either group chats or personal chats so that if they want to have a
conversation in person they can have that. This will help in making it more
interactive.
4. Articles and Support : Our application will have a feeds features in which they can
get articles related to their problems so as to keep them engaged even when
there is no one to talk to.
5. Dashboard with Progress Status and feedback system : The main feature of the
application is the dashboard where a person can get the progress of how their
mental state is now. This will be useful as with that they can decide what step to
take to ensure their good mental health. This will also contain a feedback system
which will help us to improve our application.

The tech stack that will be used for this application will be MERN Stack,
TailwindCSS and some open source libraries to more the application more
interactive and easy to use.

Common questions

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Challenges faced by online self-help groups include limited feedback, language barriers, varied participant progress, and the perpetuation of hoaxes. The proposed application addresses these by creating tailored user environments based on specific needs, such as loss-related or addiction support, and providing interactive and user-friendly chat options. It also features a progress-tracking dashboard to ensure users can monitor their improvements accurately, and a feedback system to continually enhance the service .

The proposed web application enhances user experience and effectiveness by featuring a user-friendly UI, tailored divisions based on user needs, chatroom options for personalized interaction, and a dashboard that provides progress tracking and feedback. These features aim to make interactions more comfortable and personalized, thus encouraging more open communication and real-time feedback. Moreover, the inclusion of articles keeps users engaged, improving their mental health even when they aren't actively conversing with others .

The dashboard feature, with its progress status tracking, can significantly affect user engagement by offering users tangible evidence of their mental health journey. This visibility can motivate users by showing improvements or highlighting areas needing attention, leading to more proactive self-management. By fostering a sense of autonomy and providing a structured insight into mental health management, it can enhance accountability and satisfaction with the service .

The feedback system can significantly influence the application's development and user satisfaction by providing insights into user experiences and identifying areas for improvement. It allows developers to address user concerns and regularly update the platform to meet users' evolving needs. This responsive approach can enhance user satisfaction by creating a solution that feels personalized and attentive to individual needs, thereby maintaining user engagement and trust .

The proposed technological stack for developing the mental health support application includes the MERN stack, TailwindCSS, and open-source libraries. This stack is suitable because the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express.js, React.js, Node.js) is well-known for its efficiency in building scalable web applications, allowing seamless interaction among various components. TailwindCSS provides a flexible utility-first CSS framework, promoting quick and responsive UI design, while open-source libraries can enhance functionality and user experience .

Online self-help groups differ from traditional in-person methods largely due to their accessibility and anonymity. They allow people to participate without geographical constraints, offering comfort through privacy. Traditional methods often involve face-to-face interactions where individuals may feel vulnerable. Online groups, however, may face challenges such as limited feedback, different progress statuses among participants, and potential misinformation, which can be mitigated by thoughtfully designed platforms .

Article feeds are considered important because they provide users with informative content related to their issues, helping to maintain engagement even when active chats aren't available. This can educate users, providing new insights and coping strategies, and encourage self-reflection and growth. Additionally, such resources can serve as conversation starters and reduce feelings of isolation by assuring users that they aren't alone in their experiences .

The personal division feature enhances support by categorizing users based on their intended discussion, such as those seeking help for loss or addiction. This ensures that users are connected with peers with similar issues, promoting targeted support and a more relevant community interaction. The personalized matching can lead to more effective emotional support and advice, increasing the likelihood of positive outcomes for users .

Online self-help groups play a crucial role in addressing modern mental health issues by providing a platform for individuals to connect over shared experiences from the comfort of their homes. They offer privacy, which is significant as many individuals might not feel comfortable discussing their issues in person. These groups serve as adjuncts to traditional therapy and help individuals cope with issues like alcoholism, depression, and self-esteem problems, providing a sense of community and understanding .

Chatroom options provide significant benefits by facilitating both group and personal conversations, thus catering to diverse user preferences for interaction. This flexibility can make the application more interactive and engaging, allowing users to seek advice privately or experience communal support. The option for private messaging can be particularly important for topics requiring confidentiality or for users uncomfortable with public discussion .

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