โก Quick Summary
A recent study demonstrated that an AI agent trained on a large language model (LLM) significantly reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety in young adults over a 28-day period. The findings suggest that dialog interventions with AI can effectively support mental health in this demographic.
๐ Key Details
- ๐ Participants: 865 young adults
- ๐งฉ Study Design: 28-day randomized controlled trial (RCT)
- โ๏ธ Intervention: Dialog with an AI agent based on LLM
- ๐ Outcomes Measured: Depression and anxiety symptoms
๐ Key Takeaways
- ๐ Significant reduction in depression symptoms observed at two weeks.
- ๐ Both depression and anxiety symptoms significantly reduced at four weeks.
- ๐ค AI conversational agents can be effective tools for mental health interventions.
- ๐ฌ Dialog interventions are crucial for achieving positive mental health outcomes.
- ๐ Study registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06346496).
๐ Background
Young adults often encounter various emotional challenges, including depression and anxiety. With the rise of mobile internet usage among this demographic, there is a pressing need for innovative solutions that can effectively address these mental health issues. Leveraging technology, particularly through short video apps and AI, presents a promising avenue for intervention.
๐๏ธ Study
This study involved a total of 865 participants who were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a waiting group. Over the course of 28 days, participants in the intervention group engaged in daily dialog with an AI agent designed to provide emotional support and guidance. Participants completed three psychological questionnaires to assess their mental health status throughout the study.
๐ Results
The results were compelling: the dialog intervention led to a significant reduction in depression symptoms within just two weeks. By the end of the four-week period, both depression and anxiety symptoms had significantly decreased in the intervention group, highlighting the effectiveness of the AI conversational agent in alleviating negative emotions.
๐ Impact and Implications
The implications of this study are profound. The findings suggest that LLM-based AI agents can serve as valuable tools in mental health interventions for young adults. As mental health issues continue to rise globally, integrating such technologies into everyday platforms could provide accessible and effective support, potentially transforming how we approach mental health care.
๐ฎ Conclusion
This study underscores the potential of AI in mental health interventions, particularly for young adults facing emotional challenges. By utilizing dialog interventions with AI agents, we can offer timely and effective support for those struggling with depression and anxiety. Continued research in this area is essential to further explore and enhance these innovative solutions.
๐ฌ Your comments
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Effect of an AI agent trained on a large language model (LLM) as an intervention for depression and anxiety symptoms in young adults: A 28-day randomized controlled trial.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Young adults face emotional problems in their daily lives. Considering that youth are prevalent among mobile internet users, it would be helpful if functions that can intervene in young people’s depression and anxiety can be designed based on short video apps. Large language model (LLM)-based AI conversational agents based on short video apps may play an important role in intervening in young adults’ negative emotions.
METHODS: This study is a 28-day randomized controlled trial (RCT) in which 865 participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a waiting group, and each user was asked to engage in a total of 28โdays of dialog intervention with the AI agent and complete three psychological questionnaires.
RESULTS: The dialog intervention significantly reduced depression in the intervention group at two weeks and significantly reduced both depression and anxiety in the intervention group at four weeks.
CONCLUSIONS: This study found evidence that the LLM-based conversational agent could effectively alleviate the mild anxiety and depressive symptoms of young adults with negative emotions through dialog interventions when the AI companion bot is used sufficiently enough.
REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT06346496, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06346496.
Author: [‘Zhao Y’, ‘Qian W’, ‘Chen Y’, ‘Wu D’, ‘Luo Y’, ‘Gao C’, ‘Wu K’, ‘Liu Z’]
Journal: Appl Psychol Health Well Being
Citation: Zhao Y, et al. Effect of an AI agent trained on a large language model (LLM) as an intervention for depression and anxiety symptoms in young adults: A 28-day randomized controlled trial. Effect of an AI agent trained on a large language model (LLM) as an intervention for depression and anxiety symptoms in young adults: A 28-day randomized controlled trial. 2025; 17:e70067. doi: 10.1111/aphw.70067