Aurora: AI-Based Narrative Intervention to Support Emotional Well-Being in Clinical and Non-Clinical Populations

Summary

Aurora is an interdisciplinary project evaluating a chatbot-mediated supportive care intervention designed to promote emotional expression, autobiographical meaning-making, identity processes, and emotional well-being through guided narrative reconstruction. The Aurora system provides a structured, person-centered storytelling process supported by generative AI and human facilitation. Under the supervision of a trained facilitator (licensed mental health professional), participants engage in guided reminiscence and storytelling sessions to co-create a personalized "life book." The chatbot is not a diagnostic or treatment tool; rather, it is intended to support emotional expression, narrative reconstruction, and recovery-oriented processes. The study includes three non-randomized arms implemented sequentially: (1) a single-session arm of healthy adults focused on acceptability, usability, and emotional safety; (2) a four-hour intervention arm of adults with DSM-5 diagnosed mental disorders in residential care; and (3) a four-hour intervention arm of healthy older adults aged 65 years and older. Quantitative outcomes assess affect, mental well-being, and recovery-related constructs. Additional measures include usability, satisfaction, and qualitative feedback. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is conducted in Arms 2 and 3.

Conditions

• Institutionalization
• Elderly
• Mental Health
• Wellbeing
• Aging

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

chatbot-mediated supportive care intervention

Aurora is a guided narrative reconstruction chatbot combining structured storytelling and reminiscence with an AI-based conversational system and support from a trained facilitator. Participants co-create a personalized life narrative ("life book") with written content and optional audio contributions (with explicit consent). Sessions occur in a secure professional environment and are supervised by licensed mental health professionals to ensure emotional safety. Aurora is not a diagnostic tool and is intended to promote emotional expression, recovery-oriented processes, and emotional well-being. The intervention is delivered in structured guided sessions. Arm 1 receives a single-session version for refinement and usability assessment, whereas Arms 2 and 3 receive a 4-hour intervention delivered over two weeks. The total intervention dose is equivalent across Arms 2 and 3. Session structure differs to accommodate participant characteristics.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Grup ATRA

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• AGAUR

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Institut Municipal de Persones amb Discapacitat

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu

  collaborator OTHER

• Universitat Oberta de Catalunya

  collaborator OTHER

• Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-02-12

Primary Completion

2026-04-01

Completion

2026-04-01

Countries

• Spain

Study Locations