FEELINGS: PROTOTYPING A DATA-DRIVEN PLATFORM FOR EMOTIONAL MONITORING AND PERSONALIZED PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of mental disorders in recent decades, intensified by social, economic, and technological factors, highlights the need for innovative strategies to expand access to psychological care. In this context, digital solutions have shown promise, especially those that combine usability, empathy, and professional follow-up. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a functional prototype of the Feelings application, focused on emotional self-monitoring and digital psychotherapeutic support. The research was conducted through a qualitative, applied, and exploratory approach, grounded in user-centered design principles and Nielsen's usability heuristics. The methodology included an integrative literature review, requirements elicitation, interface modeling, digital prototyping, and evaluation with real users, including heuristic analysis and usability testing. The proposed system features distinct flows for patients and psychology professionals, encompassing functionalities such as emotional journaling, graphical mood visualization, appointment scheduling, and asynchronous communication. Results indicated a high level of acceptability, clarity, and adherence to usability principles, as well as positive potential for promoting emotional care engagement. The study contributes to the field of digital mental health by proposing a technically grounded, ethically guided solution centered on real user needs.