Mental Health Chatbot for Young Adults With Depressive Symptoms During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Single-Blind, Three-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Depression has a high prevalence among young adults, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, mental health services remain scarce and underutilized worldwide. Mental health chatbots are a novel digital technology to provide fully automated interventions for depressive symptoms.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to test the clinical effectiveness and nonclinical performance of a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based mental health chatbot (XiaoE) for young adults with depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

In a single-blind, 3-arm randomized controlled trial, participants manifesting depressive symptoms recruited from a Chinese university were randomly assigned to a mental health chatbot (XiaoE; n=49), an e-book (n=49), o

SUBMITTER: He Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9680932 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature