Digital Drawing Tools for Assessing Mental Health Conditions - A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Digital Health
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Drawing tasks are fundamental in psychological assessment for mental health evaluation.
• Digitalization in healthcare has led to the development of digital drawing tools (dDTs).
• This review focuses on dDTs for assessing mental health in individuals above preschool age.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of available digital drawing tools (dDTs).
• To summarize the current state of dDTs for assessing mental health conditions.
• To identify the application areas and target populations of existing dDTs.

Main Methods:

• Searched major databases (PubMed, PsycInfo, etc.) for dDTs from 2000 onwards.
• Included dDTs that evaluate both the final drawing and process data.
• Focused on studies published after 2014, with a majority targeting adults.

Main Results:

• 37 unique dDTs were identified across the selected articles.
• Approximately 75% of the studies were published after 2014.
• dDTs are primarily used for tremor detection and cognitive state assessment (e.g., Spiral and Clock Drawing Tests).

Conclusions:

• Early detection of mental diseases is crucial in modern healthcare.
• Integrating digital and art-based solutions can foster interdisciplinary science.
• The review highlights initial progress and open avenues for optimizing dDTs in mental health assessment.