CBT-I Chatbot for Youth

Efficacy of a Chatbot to Deliver Cognitive-behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Youth: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Insomnia is prevalent in youth, and it associates with depression and other psychiatric disorders, leading to increased mental health burden. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is recommended as first-line treatment for insomnia. Digital tools have been employed to automate mental health interventions, in order to address deterrents such as clinician shortage, limited appointment availability, high cost, and stigma of seeking help. Digital CBT-I is shown to be effective in treating insomnia. Future digital intervention will incorporate patient-centered design, input from key stakeholders, and new understandings of behavior change. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered chatbots are utilized in different industries for better customer experience. AI chatbot is also utilized in the mental health industry to extend the boundary of digital interventions from accommodating didactic and informational content to providing interactive, intelligent, and most importantly, patient-centered conversational agents. Some famous AI mental health chatbots in Western societies were developed to give tailored feedback, respond to emotions that a user expresses, and encourage users to complete an intervention. This study will investigate the effect of a CBT-I chatbot on insomnia to provide further evidence on mental health chatbot.

Inclusion Criteria:

• score 8 or higher on the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI)
• between 18 and 35 years old
• read and type Chinese
• own a smartphone
• have consistent internet access to their smartphone

Exclusion Criteria:

• have a self-reported diagnosis of any psychiatric disorder(s)
• have been on regular medication(s) in the past month
• do not have instant messaging app(s) will be excluded.