Course Structure and Objectives

This course meets once per week for 2 hours. The first hour of each class consists of a clinical discussion to provide background and motivation, describing a specific aspect of psychology or psychiatry, current approaches to treatment, and current challenges in mental health practice. The second hour of each lecture will be devoted to relevant technologies being developed for assessment, monitoring, and intervention.

Coursework and Design Exercises: This class has no exams, but there will be significant weekly reading assignments, as well as a short ~2-page weekly written asignment based on the readings. Over the course of the semester, there are three separate design exercises in which students shall create and present concepts for addressing specific needs in mental health and wellness. These design projects shall be presented in the form of a poster, a physical mock-up, or a software demonstration, as part of an interactive class poster/demo session. (the exact format will depend on the number of students in the class).

Graduate credit: Students seeking graduate credit will be required to submit an additional 10-page position paper, with references, reviewing one of the topic areas covered in class.

Grading: Grading is based on the design exercises, weekly written assignments, and class participation.

Instructors

Rich Fletcher: Dr. Fletcher is a research scientist at MIT and is also an assistant professor of Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Dr. Fletcher directs the Mobile Technology Group at MIT D-Lab, and has been working on mental health technologies for over 10 years, including 2 patents in this area as well as over 15 patents in the area of wireless sensors. Dr. Fletcher earned 4 degrees from MIT (Physics, Electrical Engineering, Information Technology M.S. and PhD) and has founded four companies over the years, in the area of wireless sensors and mobile health. Dr. Fletcher has led technology development for several NIH-funded studies in the areas of mental health, drug addiction, and behavior medicine.

Karin Hodges Dr. Hodges is a Licensed Psychologist and clinical researcher who specializes in treating mental illness and fostering mental wellness in children. She practices in Concord, MA. Dr. Hodges received education and training from UCLA, Antioch University, New England (AUNE), Dartmouth Medical Center, and Franciscan Hospital for Children, and she has also trained and worked in various elementary and middle schools and mental health clinics throughout New England, including in Roxbury, MA; Dorchester, MA; Ashfield, MA; Brookline, MA; as well as in Keene, NH. Dr. Hodges has taught courses in psychology at AUNE, including Tests and Measurements; Interventions; and Group Interventions.

Michaela Ennis (Course Assistant) Ms. Ennis is currently a PhD student and research assistant with Prof Justin Baker at Harvard Mclean Hospital. Michaela has a background in machine learning and neuroscience with undergraduate degrees from MIT in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science as well as Brain and Cognitive Science.

Guest Lectures This course will feature several invited lectures by clinicians and scientists from Harvard Medical School, Mass General Hospital, MIT, and Mass College of Art.

Sponsors

We would like to thank the MIT J-WELL program for providing support to make this class possible.