Albizu University
Presenter: Itzarelis Albarrán Torres, Albizu University
Project: Amanece App: Design of a functional prototype for ACE assessment and resilience promotion in Puerto Rican adults using OOUX
Description of the project: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with a bigger risk of chronic physical and mental health conditions in adulthood that could lead to premature death. In Puerto Rico, factors like childhood abuse and childhood poverty enhance this problematic. Due to the absence of culturally adapted digital tools specifically tailored to Puerto Ricans, which can assess and manage these risks; It arises the question: How can a mobile application support the awareness of ACE’s and help assess its score while enhancing resilience in Puerto Rican adults exposed to ACEs? Even though previous research has demonstrated that applications tailored to ACE’s can be effective treating these populations there are no culturally adapted applications for the Puerto Rican adult. This project proposes using recent evidence to design a prototype for a mobile application that uses object-oriented user experience (OOUX) methodology in order to aid the researcher, score ACEs and offer resilience boosting techniques. The prototype includes three principal components: (ACE-Q, PSS-10 and BRS) assessments, support resources, and self-regulating activities like an adult coloring book and positive affirmations. The decisions for this design are founded on the findings in color theory, visual structure and mindfulness in relation to mental health. Research shows that integrating educational content with interactive tools can promote self-care. We propose a future phase of testing for validation, usability and acceptability with external participants.
Keywords: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), culturally responsive screening, resilience, mobile health (mHealth), user-centered design (UCD)
Biography:
Itzarelis “Itza” Albarrán is an undergraduate researcher at Albizu University whose interests bridge social psychology and neuropsychology. Her work examines telomeres, ACEs, and cultural adaptability, with a focus on trauma-informed, community-centered mental health. She brings applied experience from disaster recovery, where she worked as a housing inspector and construction manager supporting communities affected by natural disasters, as well as a background as a chef sharing Puerto Rican heritage through food. She holds certifications in Psychological First Aid, Skills for Psychological Recovery, and Crisis Support for Natural Disasters. She lives in Puerto Rico with her two rescued Maltese-mix puppies and enjoys canning fruit preserves, hiking and foraging.