Misty Willey Trans Care

Trans CARE

The Trans CARE web application was developed as part of a grant-funded research project led by Mr. Louis Lindley, a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, under the mentorship of Dr. Stephanie Budge. The project focuses on using a psychotherapy intervention to support transgender and nonbinary individuals in managing gender minority stress, gender dysphoria, and related challenges. The goal was to create a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform that provides a personalized coping strategy plan while also gathering data to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention.

Role

Research
UX/UI Design
WordPress Build

Problem Statement

Research has shown that many online interventions suffer from a high drop-off rate, with participants abandoning the program midway through. This is especially true in programs targeting sensitive subjects like gender dysphoria and minority stress.

The challenge was to design an engaging, secure, and HIPAA-compliant platform that:

Encourages consistent participation and engagement throughout the entire intervention.
Provides a personalized coping plan based on participant input.
Gathers actionable analytics for researchers to evaluate the intervention's success.
Functions equally well on both desktop and mobile devices.

Goals

Improve Engagement: The app needed to ensure a high level of participant retention throughout the intervention, addressing the traditional 70% drop-off rate in online interventions.
Personalized Experience: Provide a tailored experience based on participant input, ensuring that the coping strategies and tools were relevant and actionable.
Data Collection: Gather detailed metrics on participant interaction with the app for administrative purposes, allowing researchers to evaluate efficacy and participant engagement.
HIPAA Compliance: Ensure that the app was fully compliant with HIPAA regulations to protect the sensitive data of the participants.
Cross-Device Compatibility: Ensure that the platform worked seamlessly on both desktop and mobile devices, accommodating different user needs and accessibility preferences.

Target Audience

Transgender and Nonbinary Individuals: People facing gender minority stress, gender dysphoria, and related challenges who are seeking support and coping strategies. The case study would demonstrate how the Trans CARE web application aims to provide a personalized, secure tool to help manage these struggles.
LGBTQ+ Advocacy Groups: Organizations dedicated to supporting transgender and nonbinary individuals, promoting mental health, and advancing gender equality. These groups would be interested in how the application can serve as a valuable resource for their community, offering tools for managing stress and improving well-being.
Support Networks and Allies: Friends, family members, and allies of transgender and nonbinary individuals who are looking for resources to better understand and support their loved ones' mental health and gender-related challenges.

Key Features

Personalized Login & Data Management
- Each participant has a unique login, providing access to demographic information, study participation data, and personalized content.
- Administrators can manage user data, track engagement metrics, and create individualized profiles for each participant.
Modular Structure & Progression Locking
- Modules are locked until the previous one is completed, encouraging participants to stay on track and progress through the intervention at their own pace.
- Participants can complete the intervention over multiple sessions, allowing flexibility in engagement.
Embedded Training & Interactive Activities
- Training Videos: Each module includes embedded training videos to guide participants through the intervention.
- Interactive Activities: Engaging prompts such as "match coping strategies" or "rank your preferred coping strategies" help participants interact with the content, ensuring the experience remains engaging.
- Personalized Coping Plans: Based on participants' responses, a personalized coping plan is created to provide tailored strategies for managing stress and dysphoria.
Analytics Dashboard for Administrators
- Admin users can access detailed reports on participant progress, time spent on each module, and dropout points to identify where engagement is faltering.
- Metrics include time spent per module, number of days visited, and completion rates, all segmented by demographics such as gender identity or race.
Accessibility & Mobile-Friendly
- The platform is optimized for both desktop and mobile use, ensuring participants can access the content on their preferred device.
- The design is responsive and provides an equally smooth experience across devices.
HIPAA Compliance
- The app meets HIPAA standards to ensure the confidentiality of participant data. It is hosted on secure UW-Madison resources for redundancy and security.
Password Recovery & Security
- Participants are provided with secure authentication methods and password recovery tools to ensure data security.

Results & Impact

The first round of participants using the Trans CARE web app reported significant improvements in both anxiety reduction and gender dysphoria. Feedback from users highlighted the engaging, personalized experience as a key factor in their ongoing participation. Metrics collected showed increased completion rates compared to similar interventions, with participants spending more time engaging with the modules.

Key outcomes included:

Reduced Anxiety: Participants reported a decrease in anxiety levels after using the intervention.
Reduced Gender Dysphoria: Many participants felt a reduction in gender dysphoria after completing the intervention, highlighting the app's potential for improving psychological well-being.
Increased Engagement: The app saw higher-than-average engagement rates, with participants interacting with the content multiple times a week.

Conclusion

The Trans CARE web app successfully combined personalized therapeutic interventions with engaging, interactive elements that supported the mental health of transgender and nonbinary individuals. The app's design not only met the needs of participants but also provided valuable insights for researchers tracking the effectiveness of the intervention. Moving forward, the platform holds potential for wider adoption in gender-affirming care and mental health programs.