Booth Id:
BEHA025
Category:
Behavioral and Social Sciences
Year:
2026
Finalist Names:
Hernandez Vazquez, Kelvin (School: Specialized School of Science and Mathematics Genaro Cautino Vazquez)
Abstract:
The rise in cases of depression, anxiety, and other emotional disorders has led to an alarming increase in deaths from self-inflicted causes, especially among adults under work, academic, and family stress. Every year, hundreds of thousands of individuals do not receive adequate emotional support, underscoring the need for new accessible resources for early intervention and highlighting how lack of communication and stigma in seeking help remain significant barriers for those at risk. This research proposes a digital application designed to facilitate communication about emotions and provide immediate support, acting as a bridge between the need to express feelings and receiving helpful guidance. As stated in the original document, the app aims to “facilitate communication about problems and emotions among adults, with the goal of providing immediate support and reducing the risk of self-harm.” A one-week beta test with 62 adults allowed users to record mood, energy, and symptoms, generating data to evaluate emotional changes and usage patterns. Results showed that most participants maintained a stable emotional state, with “good” being the most frequent mood, and the most common symptoms reported were worry, fatigue, anxiety, and racing thoughts. Mood and energy fluctuated but remained overall stable, and ANOVA and t-tests showed no significant differences between emotional groups, indicating consistent patterns across participants. These findings suggest that continuous interaction with the app may help reduce emotional isolation and support early emotional awareness, concluding that the application has potential as an accessible resource for emotional support and early prevention of self-harm risk.
Awards Won: