Effect of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based AI Chatbot on Depression and Loneliness in Chinese University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial With Financial Stress Moderation
JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2025
L2of 5
- Design
- Randomised controlled trial / experiment
- Risk of bias
- Some concerns
- Sample
- n = 100
- AI type
- Purpose-built support tools
- Outcomes
- Mood, Loneliness
Authors' conclusion
“The culturally adapted, CBT-based AI chatbot effectively reduced depression and loneliness in Chinese university students, with stronger effects among those experiencing high financial stress. These findings highlight the potential of AI-driven interventions to provide accessible mental health support, particularly for financially stressed students.”Quoted verbatim from the abstract.
Draft grade. Level and risk of bias were assigned by our agent and await expert review. How we grade
Read the paper →DOI 10.2196/63806Related
- L1The Effectiveness of AI Chatbots in Alleviating Mental Distress and Promoting Health Behaviors Among Adolescents and Young Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis2025
- L2Effect of an AI agent trained on a large language model (LLM) as an intervention for depression and anxiety symptoms in young adults: A 28-day randomized controlled trial2025
- L2AI Companions Reduce Loneliness2024
- L2How AI and Human Behaviors Shape Psychosocial Effects of Extended Chatbot Use: A Longitudinal Randomized Controlled Study2025