New GenAI-augmented UXR framework for neuroinclusive ADHD emotion regulation

A new paper from researchers at multiple institutions (Melike Akca, Mona Giff, Deniz Cetinkaya, Huseyin Dogan, Stephen Giff) proposes a Generative AI-augmented User Experience Research (UXR) methodology specifically tailored for designing neuroinclusive emotion regulation interventions for adults with ADHD. The work, submitted to arXiv on May 29, 2026, acknowledges that existing digital and AI-based emotion regulation tools often lack deep theoretical grounding, fail to accommodate neurodiversity, and lack structured UXR approaches. The methodology integrates established psychological frameworks — Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and the COM-B behavioral model — and leverages Generative AI as a co-analytic tool to synthesize data, generate hypotheses, and articulate design directions.

The framework is operationalized through a four-stage UXR process: AI-supported hypothesis generation, foundational planning, insight generation via Building Blocks, and construction of stakeholder-specific Point of View (PoV) narratives. This process yields a set of 10 theory-informed UXR Play Cards that translate psychological mechanisms and empirical findings into actionable design guidance. The primary contribution is a replicable, bias-aware framework for integrating Generative AI into UXR practice, advancing human-centered and neuroinclusive approaches to digital mental health design. The work is categorized under Human-Computer Interaction and Artificial Intelligence, offering a practical bridge between psychological research and inclusive technology design.