Chatbot‐Delivered Interventions for Improving Mental Health Among Young People: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis.

Background: The characteristics, application, and effectiveness of chatbots in improving the mental health of young people have yet to be confirmed through systematic review and meta‐analysis. Aim: This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of chatbot‐delivered interventions for impro...

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Published in:Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) Vol. 22; no. 4; pp. 1 - 12
Main Authors: Li, Jiaying, Li, Yan, Hu, Yule, Ma, Dennis Chak Fai, Mei, Xiaoxiao, Chan, Engle Angela, Yorke, Janelle
Format: meta analysis research systematic review tables/charts Journal Article
Published: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Aug2025
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Aug2025
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        atl: Chatbot‐Delivered Interventions for Improving Mental Health Among Young People: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis.
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          Li, Jiaying
          Li, Yan
          Hu, Yule
          Ma, Dennis Chak Fai
          Mei, Xiaoxiao
          Chan, Engle Angela
          Yorke, Janelle
        affil: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
      sug:
        subj:
          Mental Disorders Therapy
          Mental Health Evaluation
          Chatbot
          Health Care Delivery
          Quality of Health Care
          Quality Improvement
          Psychological Well-Being
          Human
          Systematic Review
          Meta Analysis
          Male
          Female
          Child
          Adolescence
          Adult
          Embase
          PubMed
          Cochrane Library
          Psycinfo
          World Wide Web
          Confidence Intervals
          Odds Ratio
          Descriptive Statistics
          Psychological Distress Prevention and Control
          Child: 6-12 years
          Adolescent: 13-18 years
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Background: The characteristics, application, and effectiveness of chatbots in improving the mental health of young people have yet to be confirmed through systematic review and meta‐analysis. Aim: This systematic review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of chatbot‐delivered interventions for improving mental health among young people, identify factors influencing effectiveness, and examine feasibility and acceptability. Methods: To identify eligible interventional studies, we systematically searched 11 databases and search engines covering a publication period of January 2014 to September 2024. Meta‐analyses and subgroup analyses were performed on randomized controlled trials to investigate the effectiveness of chatbot‐delivered interventions and potential influencing factors. Narrative syntheses were conducted to summarize the feasibility and acceptability of these interventions in all the included studies. Results: We identified 29 eligible interventional studies, 13 of which were randomized controlled trials. The meta‐analysis indicated that chatbot‐delivered interventions significantly reduced distress (Hedge's g = −0.28, 95% CI [−0.46, −0.10]), but did not have a significant effect on psychological well‐being (Hedge's g = 0.13, 95% CI [−0.16, 0.41]). The observed treatment effects were influenced by factors including sample type, delivery platform, interaction mode, and response generation approach. Overall, this review demonstrates that chatbot‐delivered interventions were feasible and acceptable. Linking Evidence to Action: This review demonstrated that chatbot‐delivered interventions had positive effects on psychological distress among young people. Chatbot‐delivered interventions have the potential to supplement existing mental health services provided by multidisciplinary healthcare professionals. Future recommendations include using instant messenger platforms for delivery, enhancing chatbots with multiple communication methods to improve interaction quality, and refining language processing, accuracy, privacy, and security measures.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        meta analysis
        research
        systematic review
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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