Design to Destress Kids: A proposal for stress management design among children and teachers

Abstract

Background Child abuse in childcare centers has been exposed frequently through the media. Data shows that stress has a significant influence on the behavior of teachers and can lead to neglect and maltreatment of children. This study proposes “SSOK (쏙, Stress-free Smiles of Kids),” which is a product and a mobile application service that allow teachers to be aware of their stress levels and those of the children, helping teachers to implement necessary measures for the mental health of all parties in childcare centers. The product is composed of a Chewable vitamin candy attached to a swab to collect salivary cortisol measurements used for stress level assessment. The mobile application service, accessed by teachers and parents, keeps track of stress levels and provides methods for stress management. Method Herein, this study (1) explains the effectiveness of assessing stress levels with salivary Cortisol measurements, (2) presents the specific designs and functions of the product and the service, and (3) analyzes the results of a user experience test with the product on a child and a teacher. The user experience test sought to determine the participants' awareness of stress, simulate the experience of using the prototype of the product, and obtain feedbacks afterwards. Result Recent studies have revealed the development of products capable of assessing stress levels through salivary Cortisol measurements. However, products directed specifically towards the interests of children have shown to be less reviewed than that of adults. The user experience test highlighted the requirement for improvements in the functionality and usability of the proposed product. Conclusion The proposal aims to enhance the working environment of teachers, and the learning environment of children in childcare centers. Further effort is needed to fundamentally solve the problem of stress-inducing environments in childcare centers.