A guided chatbot-based psychological intervention for psychologically distressed older adolescents and young adults: a randomised clinical trial in Jordan - Summary - MDSpire
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A guided chatbot-based psychological intervention for psychologically distressed older adolescents and young adults: a randomised clinical trial in Jordan
To evaluate the effectiveness of the STARS intervention, a rule-based chatbot specifically designed for young adults in Jordan, in reducing anxiety and depression.
Key Findings:
Participants in the STARS group reported a greater reduction in HSCL total scores compared to EUC (mean difference 10.21, P < 0.001).
Significant reductions in anxiety (mean difference 4.25, P < 0.001) and depression (mean difference 6.09, P < 0.001) were observed in the STARS group, all statistically significant.
68.6% of STARS participants achieved a good outcome compared to 41.6% in EUC (OR = 3.1).
The number needed to treat (NNT) for anxiety was 2.7 and for depression was 3.1.
Interpretation:
The STARS intervention effectively reduced psychological distress in young adults in Jordan, indicating its potential as a scalable mental health solution in LMICs, particularly in similar cultural contexts.
Limitations:
High dropout rates were noted, with 36.6–43.3% missing data at follow-up, which may affect the reliability of the findings.
The study was conducted in a specific cultural context, which may limit generalizability to other LMICs.
Conclusion:
The STARS chatbot intervention shows promise in addressing mental health needs among young adults in LMICs, warranting further research and potential implementation to validate its effectiveness.
by Richard A. Bryant, Anne M. de Graaff, Rand Habashneh, Sarah Fanatseh, Dharani Keyan, Aemal Akhtar, Adnan Abualhaija, Muhannad Faroun, Ibrahim Said Aqel, Latefa Dardas, Hadeel Afar, Chiara Servili, Dusan Hadzi-Pavlovic, Mark van Ommeren, Kenneth Carswell
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