A Social Robot for Self-Monitoring Support in Psychiatric Daycare: A 24-Month Iterative Development and Practical Evaluation

Self-monitoring, a commonly used technique in cognitive-behavioral interventions, involves the objective observation and organization of one’s internal states. However, providing continuous, individualized support for this process is challenging in resource-limited psychiatric daycare settings. While social robots show promise in facilitating self-disclosure, evidence regarding their long-term practical utility and clinical relevance in real-world clinical environments remains insufficient. To address this gap, we conducted a two-phase field study comprising periodic sessions held over a 24-month period to develop and evaluate a social robot-assisted self-monitoring support system. In the 14-month Development Phase (N = 39), we employed a practice-informed design process to establish robot-specific design principles, prioritizing a non-judgmental listener role over advice-giving and offering user-selected positive and negative topics to accommodate diverse psychosocial needs. This was followed by a 10-month Evaluation Phase (N = 20), consisting of 10 experimental days, to assess the finalized system’s impact. Key findings indicated that: (1) single dialogue sessions were followed by significant improvements in participants’ subjective overall health and alertness; (2) participants demonstrated a strong preference for positive-oriented topics; and (3) qualitative analysis revealed emergent reflective insights and perceived positive changes. These results provide empirical evidence suggesting the system’s practical utility and clinical relevance, highlighting the value of a user-centered approach that empowers patients to choose topics aligned with their recovery goals.