Research Ann DeSmet

Research team

• Media, ICT and interpersonal relations in Organisations and Society (MIOS)

Expertise

Ann DeSmet is a behaviour change researcher with an interest in persuasive technology and methods that have the potential to engage users in healthy behaviour, such as serious games, apps, social media, chatbots and narratives. Previously she worked on projects related to cyberbullying, mental health care, patient-provider communication, illegal drugs, cancer prevention and psychosocial cancer care. Her current research focusses on developing and evaluating digital communication interventions for enhancing healthy lifestyles (physical activity, sleep, low sedentary behaviour) in adults, and in investigating synergies between health and pro-environmental behaviours. She has experience in developing and conducting RCTs of behaviour change interventions, with a particular focus on using new technologies. Her specialist research interests include health communication and technology; behaviour change techniques and other active working mechanisms of interventions; media psychology; user engagement; physical activity, sleep, sedentary behaviour, and mental health; and meta-analyses. Research lines and topics: - healthy lifestyle promotion (physical activity, sleep, diet) - digital health interventions (serious games, apps, wearable trackers) - mental health (promotion and prevention) - pro-environmental behaviours - cyberbullying