Honours Project

Spreading Awareness of anxiety and depression amongst students (2023)

01. The Problem

Primary research reveals that many students find traditional mental health services intimidating or difficult to approach. This project addresses those barriers by transforming sensitive clinical topics into an accessible serious game, designed to reduce the friction of seeking help and turn a daunting subject into a supportive, educational experience.

Project Goals

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Normalise Awareness: Cultivate a deeper understanding of anxiety and depression through empathetic, gamified storytelling.
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Encourage Recognition: Provide a safe environment for students to learn how to recognise symptoms in themselves and their peers.
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Facilitate Support: Bridge the gap between experiencing distress and seeking professional help by providing clear, actionable advice.

Target Audience

This initiative is specifically tailored for university students, a demographic often facing high academic and personal pressure. With the aim of fostering a culture of positive mental health practices and mutual support.

02. Academic Research

This project was built on research investigating how serious games can increase mental health awareness. The study addressed the rise in student anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent cost-of-living crisis.

Efficacy & Reach

Serious games broaden reach to individuals who might not seek traditional interventions.

Student Stressors

Research highlighted rising depression due to isolation, hybrid learning, and financial hardship.

Ethical Design

Design must be respectful and include support resources to avoid unintentionally triggering users.

Full Document

View the complete 2023 research paper and citations.

Open PDF

03. Design Solution

The design phase focused on creating a cohesive visual identity that bridges the gap between digital support and interactive engagement. By utilising a nostalgic aesthetic and intentional colour psychology, I developed a suite of artefacts designed to make mental health awareness approachable and non-clinical.

Honours Project Logo

Capturing the connection between the mind and heart; the silhouette represents awareness while the heart symbolises empathy and emotional strength.

Colour Scheme

A palette of greens and greys chosen to convey balance and renewal, fostering a judgement-free environment for students.

Website Prototypes

Clean, approachable designs featuring real-world imagery to help students feel understood rather than confronted.

Game Prototypes

Playful interactions and meaningful dialogue choices that make sensitive mental health topics easier to approach.

Prototypes Interaction

A tidy, intentional system showing the blueprint of separate building blocks ready to be unified into a seamless experience.

04. The Result (2023)

Final Grade

2.2 (Second Class Lower)

Feedback

"Exceptional research depth and a highly polished approach to student wellbeing."

05. Reflection

Reflecting on the journey of this project, I feel a deep sense of pride in how it evolved from a research concept into a truly meaningful interactive experience. Seeing the positive engagement from participants was incredibly rewarding; their feedback confirmed that a gamified approach resonates with students, making a complex and heavy subject feel significantly more approachable. While this work successfully served as my Honours prototype, my commitment to the project continues beyond the final submission and grading. I am personally dedicated to refining the visual depth and user experience to ensure the platform reaches its full potential as a supportive resource. In the future, I aim to transform this vision into a fully realised website and game, turning my academic research into a lasting tool that genuinely advocates for student wellbeing in the real world.

Full-Stack Evolution

Mindful Space (2026)

Coming Soon

I am currently redesigning & developing the Honours project to bring it up to date with a change of name as Mindful Space. This version will move beyond prototypes into a fully functional website with a version of the game playable.

Status: In Development