Systems and methods for computer implemented treatment of behavioral disorders

• US 10,089,897 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2016
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joanne Walker, Saul Rosenthal
• Original Assignee: Joanne Walker, Saul Rosenthal
• Inventors: Walker, Joanne, Rosenthal, Saul
• Primary Examiner(s): Revak, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US15/137,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20160240099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/50 Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/81 Threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A system and method are provided for treating excessive or problematic computer use. In at least one embodiment, a method is employed to treat excessive or problematic computer use by acquiring information about the unwanted user activity, monitoring user activity for the unwanted behavior, controlling the behavior when it occurs, enabling the user to record self-observations and evaluating the results. This method may employ a computer based system to treat excessive or problematic computer use which includes configuring a user activity monitor with constraints, programmatically enforcing those constraints, reporting the activities monitored and restricted, and enabling a user to input self-observations. Potential constraints include a complete bar on the user activity, as well as, progressively decreasing the amount of time the user may engage in the activity, i.e. titrating the user activity.

Claims

1. A computer system configured to treat excessive computer use by a user, the computer system comprising:

a memory storing data identifying a user activity to be treated via the computer system; and

a controller coupled to the memory and configured to;

monitor for the user activity;

receive input indicating performance of the user activity;

receive input indicating an emotional state of the user subsequent to the performance, the input indicating a subjective units of distress (SUDS) level of the user; and

provide a report listing the user activity and the SUDS level to an external entity.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the external entity is a computer system accessible to a health care provider.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to prompt the user for the input indicating the SUDS level.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to receive information including at least one constraint from the external entity.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the at least one constraint specifies a restriction of the user activity to one or more titrated durations of progressively decreasing time.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the one or more titrated durations are specified to progressively decrease by a constant amount of time.

7. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the one or more titrated durations are specified to progressively decrease by a variable amount of time.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the one or more titrated durations are specified to progressively decrease by a random amount of time.

9. A method of treating excessive computer use by a user using a computer system, the method comprising:

identifying a user activity to be treated via the computer system;

monitoring for the user activity;

receiving input indicating performance of the user activity;

receiving input indicating an emotional state of the user subsequent to the performance, the input indicating a subjective units of distress (SUDS) level of the user; and

providing a report listing the user activity and the SUDS level to an external entity.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the report includes providing the report to a computer system accessible to a health care provider.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising prompting the user for the input indicating the SUDS level.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving information including at least one constraint from the external entity.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving information including at least one constraint that specifies a restriction of the user activity to one or more titrated durations of progressively decreasing time.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving information including at least one constraint that specifies a restriction of the user activity to one or more titrated durations that progressively decrease by a constant amount of time.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving information including at least one constraint that specifies a restriction of the user activity to one or more titrated durations that progressively decrease by a variable amount of time.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving information including at least one constraint that specifies a restriction of the user activity to one or more titrated durations that progressively decrease by a random amount of time.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions encoded for execution by at least one controller and configured to instruct the controller to:

identify a user activity to be treated via a computer system;

monitor for the user activity;

receive input indicating performance of the user activity;

receive input indicating an emotional state of the user subsequent to the performance, the input indicating a subjective units of distress (SUDS) level of the user; and

provide a report listing the user activity and the SUDS level to an external entity.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions to provide the report includes instructions to provide the report to a computer system accessible to a health care provider.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions configured to instruct the controller to prompt the user for the input indicating the SUDS level.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions configured to instruct the controller to receive information including at least one constraint from the external entity.