Unlexi: Developing a Prototype of a Digital Emotion-Focused Therapy Tool for Alexithymia

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Psychology
• Digital Therapeutics
• Mental Health Technology

Background:

• Alexithymia, characterized by difficulty identifying and expressing emotions, is linked to various psychiatric conditions and impedes therapeutic progress.
• Despite its impact, alexithymia remains a clinical challenge, often under-addressed in traditional therapeutic settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop Unlexi, a clinician-linked digital prototype for Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT).
• This novel homework-style model aims to integrate technology into emotional processing support.

Main Methods:

• The Unlexi prototype was developed, requiring a TAS-20 score of ≥ 51 and excluding acute psychiatric states.
• It features 12 weekly EFT modules, incorporating felt-sense pauses and a safety "Pause" function.
• Natural Language Processing (NLP) analyzes user text and voice input for real-time sentiment feedback to users and clinicians.

Main Results:

• The Unlexi prototype consists of 129 screens, with 110 dedicated to patients and 23 for clinicians.
• This digital structure facilitates the delivery of structured therapeutic content and feedback mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• The Unlexi prototype has received validation from the originator of EFT, confirming its clinical fidelity.
• The next steps involve app development and feasibility testing to assess its real-world efficacy.