AI Chatbots for Anxiety Mental Health Literacy

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to examine whether AI-based chatbots can improve anxiety-related mental health literacy in adults with varying levels of anxiety. The study aims to learn whether interactive AI chatbots can improve understanding of anxiety, attitudes toward anxiety, help-seeking intentions, confidence in supporting others, and anxiety symptoms, compared with standard text-based educational materials.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Does an AI-based psychoeducation chatbot improve anxiety-related mental health literacy compared with text-based psychoeducation?
2. Does adding interactive anxiety simulation conversations further improve mental health literacy and related outcomes compared with psychoeducation alone?

Researchers will compare participants who use an AI psychoeducation chatbot alone, participants who use an AI psychoeducation chatbot combined with anxiety simulation chatbots, and participants who receive text-based psychoeducation, to see whether the AI-based interventions lead to greater improvements in mental health literacy and related outcomes.

Participants will:

1. Complete baseline questionnaires assessing anxiety-related knowledge, attitudes, and symptoms
2. Be randomly assigned to one of three groups: AI psychoeducation chatbot, AI psychoeducation chatbot plus anxiety simulation chatbots, or text-based psychoeducation
3. Use the assigned intervention over a one-week period
4. Complete follow-up questionnaires immediately after the intervention and at later follow-up time points

Conditions

• Anxiety Literacy
• Anxiety Disorders
• Mental Health Literacy

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

AI Anxiety Literacy Education

AI Anxiety Literacy Education is an AI-powered, psychologically informed chatbot designed to improve mental health literacy related to anxiety through conversational education. The chatbot delivers structured modules covering the definition of anxiety, common cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral symptoms, contributing factors, treatment options, and practical self-help strategies. Content is presented in non-clinical language and adapted to user responses through guided questions and feedback, encouraging users to reflect on their own experiences.

BEHAVIORAL

AI Anxiety Friend Simulation

AI Anxiety Friend Simulation is an AI-powered conversational intervention designed to allow participants to practice recognizing and responding to anxiety-related experiences in a simulated interaction. The chatbot role-plays individuals experiencing different anxiety presentations and communicates in a natural, everyday manner that may include uncertainty, emotional reactions, or defensiveness. Participants are guided to identify anxiety symptoms, explore causes, and propose supportive responses. The chatbot provides feedback and prompts reflection based on participants' responses. Participants access the simulation online and complete multiple simulated conversations over a one-week period.

BEHAVIORAL

Text-Based Anxiety Psychoeducation

Text-Based Anxiety Psychoeducation consists of written educational materials providing information about anxiety in a non-clinical, accessible format. The materials cover the definition of anxiety, common cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral symptoms, contributing factors, and general coping and self-help strategies. Participants access the materials online and are instructed to review all content within a one-week period. The materials are static and do not provide interactive feedback or personalized responses.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Peking University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-12-01

Primary Completion

2026-02-01

Completion

2026-04-30

Countries

• China

Study Locations