The Maternal Problem-Solving project is an ISI collaboration with clinical psychologists at six pediatric cancer centers around the country. These researchers are interested in learning how some patients with childhood cancers respond well to treatment and others do not. Believing that parental attitudes influence children's prognosis, they created a training program to assist mothers of pediatric cancer patients. The training program is based on a problem-solving methodology called Bright Ideas. Bright Ideas attempts to help mothers cope with the added stress of caring for a sick child while balancing their personal needs and family obligations. The CARTE team is creating an interactive multimedia computer program to help reinforce the problem-solving skills training. When it is fully implemented, the computer program will be installed in clinic waiting and treatment areas, where it may be accessed by the mothers while waiting for consultations, treatments and other interventions in their child's disease.
Dr. O.J. Sahler, Director of Pediatric Psychosocial Hematology/Oncology Services at Children's Hospital at Strong, Rochester NY, is the principle investigator for the project. The Maternal Problem Solving Skills Training Research Study (MPSST) is an ongoing, multi-site investigation funded by the National Cancer Institute.
The CARTE software uses an animated narrative to introduce the problems of Carmen, mother of a 9-year-old son, recently diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia, and a 5-year-old daughter. She is overwhelmed by the new demands imposed on her by her son's care. In the computer program, users can watch Carmen's story unfold, help her find solutions and even choose what she is thinking as she interacts with another character, Gina. Gina is the health-care worker who introduces Carmen to Bright Ideas. Both Gina and Carmen are controlled by ISI's agent technology, lending the program a flexibility that will handle additional problem scenes as they are created for the narrative.
View
movie clips!
Introducing Carmen
Carmen and Gina
User Interaction
To learn more about Carmen's Bright Ideas, contact us at carte-staff@isi.edu.
MPSST/Parent-Ed Credits
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from Information Sciences Institute. Last updated: February 4, 2003