Online Human-Centered Design Methods are Acceptable, Appropriate, and Feasible for Generating Adolescent Relationship...

Sexual and gender diverse youth (SGDY) are at greater risk for adolescent relationship abuse (ARA) than cisgender heterosexual youth, but there are not enough evidence-based interventions for reducing ARA among SGDY. We piloted online human-centered design (HCD) methodology to engage SGDY in generating ARA intervention ideas. This study evaluated the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of the online methods and identified SGDY-derived intervention ideas for reducing ARA.

From August 2020 through March 2021, we conducted a longitudinal online HCD study with 46 SGDY (aged 14-18 years) recruited via social media from across the United States. SGDY completed HCD activities using MURAL (collaborative digital whiteboard) in four group-based sessions (1.5 hours each) and a follow-up survey with validated measures of acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility (a priori success benchmarks: means > 3.75 on each five-point scale).

SGDY in the sample were 41% racial/ethnic minorities. SGDY rated the online HCD methods as highly acceptable, appropriate, and feasible (means ≥ 4.29). SGDY co-created a breadth of ARA intervention concepts across all social-ecological levels, including commonplace ideas (e.g., curriculum for schools) and novel ideas, such as social media-based interventions to foster healthy relationships, incentivization interventions for performing social justice work, and school plays with SGDY storylines.

Online HCD methods are acceptable, appropriate, and feasible for designing ARA intervention ideas. The intervention ideas generated in this study can help catalyze ARA intervention research for SGDY. Our method can be transported to other populations and health topics to help advance adolescent health and equity.