MindfulDiary: Harnessing Large Language Model to Support Psychiatric Patients' Journaling

Abstract

Large Language Models (LLMs) offer promising opportunities in mental health domains, although their inherent complexity and low controllability elicit concern regarding their applicability in clinical settings. We present MindfulDiary, an LLM-driven journaling app that helps psychiatric patients document daily experiences through conversation. Designed in collaboration with mental health professionals, MindfulDiary takes a state-based approach to safely comply with the experts' guidelines while carrying on free-form conversations. Through a four-week field study involving 28 patients with major depressive disorder and five psychiatrists, we examined how MindfulDiary facilitates patients' journaling practice and clinical care. The study revealed that MindfulDiary supported patients in consistently enriching their daily records and helped clinicians better empathize with their patients through an understanding of their thoughts and daily contexts. Drawing on these findings, we discuss the implications of leveraging LLMs in the mental health domain, bridging the technical feasibility and their integration into clinical settings.