The effectiveness of an AI-based therapeutic program on health habits among students with learning disabilities

This quasi-experimental study examined the effectiveness of a coordinated AI-supported therapeutic framework integrating conversational guidance, adaptive behavioral monitoring, and gamified habit reinforcement within educator-guided environments to promote healthy habits among students with learning disabilities (LD). The 24-session intervention combined conversational AI support, adaptive learning, and behavioral self-monitoring technologies, including a chatbot for personalized guidance, a wearable activity tracker, and a gamified habit-formation application. Fifty-two students aged 10-12 participated in an experimental group (n = 26) receiving the AI-based program or a control group (n = 26) engaged in standard school activities. Health behaviors (physical activity, nutrition, sleep hygiene, and emotional regulation) were assessed at pre-test, post-test, and follow-up. Analyses examined baseline equivalence, intervention effects, within-group changes, and maintenance of gains over time. Results indicated statistically significant improvements in the experimental group compared with the control group, with large effect sizes across outcome domains. Gains were maintained at follow-up. These findings suggest that coordinated AI-supported therapeutic approaches may contribute to improving health habits among students with LD and offer practical insights for educational and technology-supported therapeutic practice.