Students' perceptions of AI mental health chatbots: an exploratory qualitative study at Sultan Qaboos University.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions, attitudes and previous experiences of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) students towards artificial intelligence (AI) mental health chatbots.

Design

The study was conducted as an exploratory qualitative study, involving focus group discussions (FGDs).

Setting

The study was conducted at SQU. All FGDs were conducted via Google Meet.

Participants

A total of 60 students were recruited through convenience sampling. Both male and female students from different colleges were enrolled in the study. 10 FGDs were conducted.

Results

The interview findings revealed that most students were open to using AI mental health chatbots, with many already having used similar applications. Participants listed severa

SUBMITTER: AlMaskari AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12516975 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature