University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Phase
Not applicable
Started
2026-06-20
Last updated
2026-07-09
Condition(s) studied
Healthy
Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)
MI Chatbot InteractionActive Control Chatbot Interaction
MI Chatbot Interaction: The experimental chatbot is designed to use principles of Motivational Interviewing to support participants in exploring their personal values, motivation for change, and daily behavioral goals related to pleasure, engagement, and reward-seeking. During the intervention period, participants will interact with the chatbot regularly through brief text-based conversations. The chatbot will provide empathic, non-judgmental responses, encourage reflection on current difficulties, and help participants identify small, feasible actions that may increase daily engagement and positive experiences. It will not provide diagnosis, crisis counseling, or medical treatment.
Active Control Chatbot Interaction: Participants will interact with a chatbot matched in format and frequency of use. This chatbot will provide neutral nature-related stories or general natural history content. It will be designed to maintain participant engagement while avoiding therapeutic techniques, motivational interviewing strategies, behavioral activation guidance, or personalized mental health advice. This active control condition will help control for nonspecific effects of chatbot interaction, attention, expectancy, and digital engagement.
Study summary
The main aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of a Motivational Interviewing-based artificial intelligence chatbot on belief updating in college students with elevated levels of depression and anhedonia by combining a randomized active-control intervention design with pre- and post-intervention behavioral belief updating task assessments.
Eligibility
Sex
ALL
Min age
18 Years
Max age
40 Years
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Inclusion Criteria:
* 18-40 years
* Right-handed
* Normal or corrected normal visual acuity
* Participants must show elevated anhedonia and depressive symptoms at screening, defined as a total score of 22 or higher on the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale and a score of 14 or higher on the Beck Depression Inventory
Exclusion Criteria:
* History of major central nervous system disorders, such as epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, stroke, or brain tumors.
* History of severe mental illness, including schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, or other psychotic disorders.
* History of substance or alcohol use disorder or substance or alcohol misuse within the past 12 months that may affect study participation or outcome assessment.
* Individuals currently at high risk of suicide, severe self-harm, or experiencing an acute psychiatric crisis.
* Individuals who are currently using psychiatric medications or have undergone psychotherapy within the past 4 weeks that may significantly affect mood, motivation, or reward processing.
* Severe vision or hearing impairments that cannot be corrected and would interfere with task performance.
* Contraindications to MRI scanning, including metallic implants, pacemakers, severe claustrophobia, or other conditions incompatible with MRI.
* Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Primary outcome measure(s)
Valence-dependent belief updating bias — Baseline before the first chatbot interaction and Week 1 after completion of the chatbot intervention. Belief updating magnitude will be calculated separately for positive and negative information conditions in the belief updating task before and after the intervention. Updating magnitude will be quantified based on changes in probability estimates before and after the presentation of new information. The difference in updating magnitude between positive and negative information conditions will be calculated and compared from baseline to post-intervention.
Trial sites (1)
Facility
City
Region
Status
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Chengdu
Sichuan
Recruiting
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