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Background: The ROAdmap for MEntal health Research in Europe project aimed to create an integrated European roadmap for mental health research. Leading mental health research experts across Europe have formulated consensus-based recommendations for future research within the public mental health field. Methods: Experts were invited to compile and discuss research priorities in a series of topic-based scientific workshops. In addition, a Delphi process was carried out to reach consensus on the list of research priorities and their rank order. Three web-based surveys were conducted. Nearly 60 experts were involved in the priority setting process. Results: Twenty priorities for public mental health research were identified through the consensus process. The research priorities were divided into summary principles—encompassing overall recommendations for future public mental health research in Europe—and thematic research priorities, including area-specific top priorities on research topics and methods. The priorities represent three overarching goals mirroring societal challenges, that is, to identify causes, risk and protective factors for mental health across the lifespan; to advance the implementation of effective public mental health interventions and to reduce disparities in mental health. Conclusions: The importance of strengthening research on the implementation and dissemination of promotion, prevention and service delivery interventions in the mental health field needs to be emphasized. The complexity of mental health and its broader conceptualisation requires complementary research approaches and interdisciplinary collaboration to better serve the needs of the European population.Topic: mental health, prevention

A rise in the availability of digital tools and interfaces that enable interactivity in a cultural context has kindled the interest from scientific research and creative industries alike. These technologies interface art in such a way that they create new collaborative and interactive possibilities for audience participation and artistic expression. A somewhat hesitant attitude of the cultural sector aside, the main adoption issue can be described as a dichotomy between the benefit of increased artistic opportunities, and the problems with readiness, eagerness and domestication from the part of the audiences. A set of exploratory studies was conducted to define the main problems that permeate the hesitant adoption process. A questionnaire and two interview studies (set up around actual interactive art installations within a museum context) elucidate the issues with technologically enhanced participation in receptive cultural activities. As a result of these preparatory studies, an HCI-based Living Lab methodology was advocated and applied to an open-ended interactive system to attempt overcoming some of the issues stated in the field studies. The adoption of an iterative, use case and scenario-based, user-centered design method is consequently presented in the description of the resulting 'SoundField'-project. In the result section, the rendition of several use cases--created for six different artistic practices--is described. The merits of engaging the audience within the development process are discussed, as the participatory design strategy and the implementation of user-informed design decisions prove to be instrumental in defining viable application domains for interactive artistic technologies. Finally, aside from being an efficient probing methodology for artistic objectives, the participatory strategy helps bridging the gap between the developers' abilities and users' aspirations, establishing better acceptance of the technology among audiences.