ptsd personas

Veterans Benefits Administration

Post Traumatic Stress DisorderSpring Semester 2016

IDIA 630

Ling Ling NgJustin ScruggsPamela Gibbs

Veterans Benefits Administration

Goal

To provide end users with a navigation that sets clear expectations and direction, is

functional, simple, & quick to use.

2

Veterans Benefits Administration 3

Technical Skillset: Considers herself to be extremely tech savvy; utilizes multiple social media platforms- i.e. LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Persicope, YouTube; very vocal on social media outlets; owns multiple technological devices (iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, iWatch)

Profile: Is constantly on the go between meetings, training sessions, mentoring youth; has a robust a robust social life, and serves as a youth ministry leader at St John Baptist Church; accesses most information on iPad or iPhone; if she can not find what she is looking for in under 1 or 2 minute she deems resource as useless

Goal: To help at risk youth and the clinicians and school administrators that service them.

Charlene Stewart M.S., PsyDUser Profile #1

Professional: Community Provider

“I need to remain current with my continuing education courses, as well as

be able to provide the at-risk youth administrators that I train, the

appropriate training and tools.”


Needs: To be able to access resources in order to:

1. Train other clinicians and school administrators that service at-risk youth;

2. Provide information on how to access current, pertinent and relevant information regarding trauma, suicide, and mental health;

3. To be able to react quickly in times of crisis;

4. To be informed what is the latest research in terms of child trauma.

Limitations: Time- she and the people she supports deal with crisis situations on a regular basis- she needs to be able to quickly find information and pass it along.

Name: Charlene Stewart, M.S., PsyDAge: 32Gender: FemaleLocation: Chicago, IllinoisEducation: B.S. African American Studies, Chicago State UniversityM.S. Psychology, Chicago State UniversityPsyD, Social Psychology, Northwestern universityJob Title: Assistant Director of Youth Guidance/CounselorRelationship/Family Status: Newly engaged to litigation attorney Johnston Michaels III and has an Italian Mastiff named Kingston


Technical abilities: Has some computer skills but not confident, usually gets his nephew to help him fill up forms online. Uses his smartphone to access Internet, mainly for entertainment (watching videos, quiz games), prefers to read the news in the papers. He keeps in touch with friends through Facebook.

Profile: Corey Winslow is an elderly Veteran, currently on disability, was injured in the first Iraq war. He has not been formally diagnosed but thinks he has some symptoms of PTSD.

Goal: Corey is thinking about getting a part-time job but is feeling anxious about going back to work after such a long time away.

Corey WinslowUser Profile #2 Public: Veteran

“I’ve been feeling bad lately and I’m not sure if it could be PTSD and if it is... what should I do? I don’t think staying at home will help me.”


Needs: 1. He would like to learn more about the symptoms

associated with PTSD so he can discuss it with his doctor at his next appointment. He searches for “PTSD symptoms” on Google and clicks on the VA NCPTSD link.

2. He also needs to know how he can get assistance from the VA if he needs treatment for PTSD.

Limitations:Corey feels that his computer skills are limited and when he is finds himself “lost” on a website, he feels that it is his fault. He has trouble reading long chunks of text on the screen, prefers to print out articles but does not know how to format web pages for printing.

Name: Corey WinslowAge: 59Gender: MaleLocation: Richmond, VirginiaEducation: High school, adult college course in business administrationJob Title: On disabilityRelationship/Family Status: Never married, lives with younger brother and his family


Technical Skillset: Considers herself to be tech savvy; utilizes multiple social media platforms- i.e. LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram; runs a blog which is more like an online journal about her travels; owns multiple technological devices (Samsung, iPad)

Profile: Trying to get adjusted to all the changes happening in her life; finally unpacked and feels settled in rental townhouse after 3 months of living out of boxes; considering a career change or being a stay at home mom after the baby is born; spends time off exploring San Diego by herself; is willing to take her time and research something

Goal: To get involved with a support group and get adjusted to her new life with recently returned husband.

Sarah Marie RodriguezJob Title User Profile #3

Public: Caregiver/Wife

“I don’t know what is happening with my husband right now-

everything changed since he returned from his last tour….this is supposed to be an exciting time in our lives...with all the big changes

going on...but it isn’t. I know he needs help...and so do I...because I

don’t know how to help him.”


Needs: To be able to access resources in order to: 1. Understand the symptoms her husband is

experiencing-though she is aware of PTSD, she is not sure if this is what he is suffering from;

2. Educate herself about PTSD, get Alex connected with professional help and get into support group with other military wives-this is especially important because she just relocated to San Diego 3 months ago and found out she was pregnant, she does not live on base so she does not have any other military wives as friends, her family is all on the East Coast, and she is embarrassed to let anyone know what is going on.

Limitations: Really embarrassed about prospect of husband having PTSD, so privacy is a big deal; the lack of a support group/system is making her isolate herself, and causing denial.

Name: Sarah Marie RodriguezAge: 26Gender: FemaleLocation: San Diego, CaliforniaEducation: B.S. Hospitality Management, George Washington University Job Title: General Manager, MarriottRelationship/Family Status: Married for 4 years to Alex- just relocated from the East Coast; pregnant with first child; husband just returned from third tour in Iraq; concerned with husband behavior of waking up screaming from night terrors and mood swings, depression and anxiety attacks; feels isolated and helpless


Technical Skillset: Considers himself to have a very good understanding of internet/computer skills. Jon knows some coding (HTML/CSS), as well as graphic design work for his fitness business (Photoshop). Jon owns a laptop, smartphone and tablet (Ipad, Iphone and MacBook Air)

Profile: Jon is a former Marine with two tours to Iraq. He is constantly in contact with his former Marine unit discussing past experiences/ins-and-outs of everyday life. Jon is now a fitness instructor due to a passion for continued excellence in physical/mental activity instilled in him

Jon uses his computer to keep in touch with clients/family/friends, make fitness schedules for his clients (Microsoft Office). Jon searches for resources that will help him deal with stress, shed light on different observations with post-war life, as well as to make connections with those from similar backgrounds

Goal: Assist himself and former Marines in new life views after service (specifically researching articles on Marines who have to deal with stress after involvement in war)

Jon Marks, U.S.M.CUser Profile #4

Public: Veteran w/ PTSD

“Discovering new ways of interpreting my experiences with war and processing

through them is something I can’t discover very easily.”


Needs: To be able to access resources in order to:

1. Discover avenues that will help him understand post-war experiences/stresses in relevant areas (i.e. ways to deal with stress, different observations on post-war life, etc…)

2. Time is of the essence, so quick and easy navigation (i.e. clear labeling) is necessary

3. Being able to contact other post-war individuals and build a connection utilizing and build upon shared and similar experiences

Limitations: Jon’s schedule is one that is filled with client sessions and/or other activities (friends, family). His busy schedule doesn’t allow him to spend a lot of time (or mental energy) to engage with relevant information/new connections that would assist him in his post-Marine lifestyle

Name: Jon Marks, Former MarineAge: 28Gender: MaleLocation: Columbia, MarylandEducation: H.S. Centennial HighU.S.M.CJob Title: Fitness Instructor/Former MarineRelationship/Family Status: Unmarried, but has been in a relationship for the past two and a half years.


Technical abilities: Comfortable using a computer; just got an iPad for his birthday, which he is loves to use, because he can use it to do multiple things; though comfortable with tech, likes the option to print out things he deems to be important for later use.

Profile: Nathan has a special place in his heart for veterans not only because he treats them, but because he is a son of a veteran. He experienced first hand what PTSD can do to a family if untreated, thus has dedicated his life to helping veterans with PTSD, as well as publishing several articles on PTSD.

Goals: Nathan wants to treat and help Veterans cope with PTSD; he is also in the process of writing a book about his PTSD research.

Nathan LangleyUser Profile #5

Professional: Veteran Clinician

“Discovering relevant resources for research is a hard thing to do because

there is so much information out there to sift through. Also providing my patients with appropriate resources and being able to have the right tools to diagnose

them is super important.”


Needs: 1. To be able to access training materials, information,

and tools to help assess and treat military personnel and Veterans suffering from PTSD;

2. Remain up-to-date with continuing education requirements;

3. To access relevant and up-to-date information about PTSD to reference in his book;

Limitations:Nathan has trouble reading text on the screen which is why he prefers to print out web pages and PDFs. Although he is comfortable with using computer software such as Microsoft Word and surfs the Internet for information, Nathan has trouble with complex navigation. He hates it when the website serves up error messages or has broken links. He is also wary about downloading and opening files online because of a prior experience with a computer virus.

Name: Nathan Langley, M.D.Age: 65Gender: MaleLocation: Dover, DelawareEducation: B.S. in Developmental Psychology, Deleware State University.M.D., John Hopkins UniversityJob Title: Clinical Practice/Education DirectorRelationship/Family Status: Married for 35 years. 3 children ages 35, 38, and 42, and 5 grandshildren.

ptsd personas

Technology