Stress Autism Mate (SAM) - mobile application to support clients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in stress
People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently experience high levels of stress, which negatively affects their quality of life. TNO and GGz Centraal have developed the app Stress Autism Mate (SAM) that helps them to deal with their stress. A feasibility study (15 participants) and an effectiveness study (30 participants) have shown that SAM can actually help people with ASD.
SAM has ensured that clients with ASD get self-knowledge and are empowered to do the right things when stress occurs (the app users also see what is going well, which is also very important). Also the next of kin are involved, so they can support the clients when in stress. This without the extra effort from the practitioner. Because clients get more self-knowledge, they can benefit much better from treatment. Also the treatment lasts shorter. In addition, there will be fewer relapse possibilities because self-knowledge and pattern recognition are one of the most important pillars of a balanced life. Clients have mentioned a better quality of life, which supports them at home and at work.
The use of the app will reduce the number of additional visits to the mental health care institutions. The number of client visits is expected to decrease on an annual basis. The feasibility study has shown that one third of the clients no longer was able to live without further treatment, this was not possible before using (the prototype of) SAM. They also get higher self-esteem and rate their quality of life higher. Clients will be more able to ask for help. Therefore they will live more independent of health services.
The project has consisted of four work packages: Optimize the current functionalities and develop/add new functionalities, Exploring the added value of physiological measurements, Effectiveness study and Knowledge dissemination. The study was carried out in close collaboration with clients, their next of kin and their therapists. 30 clients used an app and a Fitbit during the study, which tracked when stress occurred and what they did to reduce the stress. A questionnaire has been composed of validated questionnaires on stress and ASD was also completed by them. SAM could be further developed into a mature app based on the results of the Fitbit, the app and the questionnaire.
The deliverables of the SAM study were:
- Knowledge of the possibilities and limitations of adding physiological measurements to the SAM app to give clients more insight in their individual stress patterns.
- A further developed app:
- With an adapted algorithm that determines stress levels even more accurately and that also detects patterns in stress levels (certain parts of the day, days, activities) and provides feedback to the client.
- A new functionality that allows tips to better match the needs and capabilities of the client and the moment and context within which the tips are given.
- An improved EMA questionnaire: fewer questions and substantive adjustment of some questions about stress signals and activities.
- An improved EMA "prompt schedule".
- An improved graphical features and lay-out.
This all came together in the development of a mature SAM app which is brought to market.
GGz Centraal has made SAM available free of charge for people with ASD. A price is charged for future spin-offs. This project is not part of the collaboration between TNO and GGz Centraal. App ‘Stress Autism Mate (SAM)’ in de lucht – GGz Centraal
TNO has used the knowledge developed in SAM for various research purposes, such as in the knowledge investment program Stress & Sensing, in which research was carried out into new technical possibilities (for example the use of devices) to reduce stress.
GGz Centraal has made SAM available for the market free of charge. This was to ensure that large groups of adults with ASD can work on reducing their stress themselves. This has helped them to get a better quality of life, both at home and at work. With this, SAM has reached TRL 9. No bottlenecks are foreseen.
