# Wellbeing supportive design -- Research-based guidelines for supporting psychological wellbeing in user experience

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2109.09092 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2109.09092/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 19 Sep 2021.

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [A Toolkit for Compliance, a Toolkit for Justice: Drawing on Cross-sectoral Expertise to Develop a Pro-justice EU AI Act Toolkit](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.17165/) (2025)
- [Developing and Evaluating a Design Method for Positive Artificial Intelligence](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.01499/) (2024)

## Abstract (arXiv)

While human beings have a right to digital experiences that support, rather than diminish, their psychological wellbeing, technology designers lack research-based practices for ensuring psychological needs are met. To help address this gap, we draw on findings from over 30 years of research in psychology (specifically, self-determination theory) that has identified contextual factors shown to support psychological wellbeing. We translate these findings into a list of 15 heuristics and 30 design strategies to provide technology makers with theoretically grounded, research-based, and actionable ways to support wellbeing in user experience.