Digital Inclusion in the Context of Social Anxiety Disorder (DISA)

In the DISA project we investigated how technology could support individuals with social anxiety disorder in managing everyday social situations with increased autonomy. The research was conducted in close cooperation with people affected by the condition, whose experiences and perspectives informed the development process throughout.

While fear is a natural protective response, it can become pathological and severely impact quality of life. In Germany, anxiety disorders affect approximately 15% of adults each year. Social anxiety—characterized by an intense fear of social interaction and high levels of distress in social settings —is one of the most common. The resulting avoidance behavior often leads to isolation and social exclusion. DISA addressed this challenge by focusing on technological support for self-determined coping strategies tailored to the individual social needs of the target group. The aim was for people with social anxiety disorder to experience greater social participation through technology. Beyond direct support, the project also examined how technology could be used to inform and raise awareness among those not affected.

Following a participatory research approach, DISA brought together design researchers, psychotherapists, and media scientists to co-create potential solutions. A key element of the process was the establishment of a makerspace—virtual due to the pandemic—as a collaborative environment for co-design sprints. In this space, affected individuals, researchers, and design students jointly explored needs and imagined new possibilities.

Technologies under investigation included immersive media such as VR and AR, as well as IoT devices, wearables, and smart objects. Through iterative testing, DISA aimed to understand how these tools could meaningfully support everyday experiences of people with social anxiety and foster more inclusive social environments.

As part of the project, an interactive virtual reality (VR) installation, hopohopo, was created. The interactive VR experience provides a glimpse into the everyday challenges faced by people with severe social anxiety.