Chatbot-Delivered Interventions on Psychological Health Among Young People: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

There exists a notable disparity in meeting the psychological health needs of young people through available services and resources. Chatbots, enabling synchronous interactions between humans and digital devices, hold promise as a technology to assist in filling the treatment gap. This study aims to systematically evaluate the effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of chatbot-delivered interventions for young people's psychological health.

We systematically searched 11 databases and search engines covering the publication period from January 2014 to September 2024 to identify eligible interventional studies. 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.

We identified 29 eligible interventional studies, of which 13 were randomized controlled trials. The meta-analysis indicated that chatbot-delivered interventions significantly reduced psychological distress, but did not have a significant effect on psychological well-being. The treatment effects observed were influenced by factors including sample type, delivery platform, interaction mode, and response generation approach. Overall, this systematic review demonstrates that chatbot-delivered interventions were feasible and acceptable.

Chatbot-delivered interventions have the potential to supplement existing mental health services provided by healthcare professionals.