Some more good news, 2021! Our paper, “Living Memory Home: Understanding Continuing Bond in the Digital Age through Backstage Grieving” has been accepted for CHI 2021. The paper focuses on how people cope with the passing of their loved one via a private digital platform, as opposed to a public space like social media. It is a collaboration with Cornell University and Kyoto Institute of Technology.
Abstract. Prolong Grief Disorder (PGD) is a condition in which mourners are stuck in the grief process for a prolonged period and continue to suffer from an intense, mal-adaptive level of grief. Despite the increased popularity of virtual mourning practices, and subsequently the emergence of HCI research in this area, there is little research looking into how continuing bonds maintained digitally promote or impede bereavement adjustment. Through a one-month diary study and in-depth interviews with 17 participants who recently lost their loved ones, we identified four broad mechanisms of how grievers engage in what we called “backstage” grieving (as opposed to bereavement through digital public space like social media). We further discuss how this personal and private grieving is important in maintaining emotional well-being hence avoiding developing PGD, as well as possible design opportunities and challenges for future digital tools to support grieving.
Press release:
Prof Chee Siang Ang 