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Introduction: This study aimed to explore the perspectives of occupational therapists and individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges regarding which aspects of participation in meaningful activities should be represented in digital twins, and how these aspects should be visualized.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative descriptive study involving 14 semi-structured interviews with occupational therapists and individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using inductive content analysis.

Results: Participants identified four main aspects to visualize in digital twins focusing on participation in meaningful activities: 1) the degree of being present and in-the-moment, 2) related or resulting experiences of being present and in-the-moment (including relaxation and calmness; fulfillment, purpose, joy, and playfulness; feeling vitalized; connection with oneself, others, and the world), 3) the energy needed and the energy gained from participation, and 4) the influence of the context. In addition, results revealed two main approaches for how these aspects should be visualized: 1) symbols and charts to visualize the now-situation, and 2) graphs for visualization over time.

Discussion and conclusion: Results identified four aspects of a participation in meaningful activities to be represented in digital twins. Those align with, and extend, existing literature on participation and recovery experiences. For the visualization of those aspects in digital twins, participants emphasized the importance of integrating both immediate feedback and longitudinal tracking of participation experiences.