Efficacy of Interactive Audio-based Mindfulness ChatGPT-Powered Intervention on Well-being

Singapore Management University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: State Mindfulness Attention; Self Control; Positive and Negative Affect; State Anxiety; Perceived Stress

Treatments: Other: Interactive Mindfulness Breathing ChatGPT-Powered Intervention; Other: Mindfulness Breathing Audio-only; Other: Interactive Mind Wandering ChatGPT-Powered Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07333365

IRB-25-212-A172-M2(1125)

Details and patient eligibility

About

Brief mindfulness intervention is a short form is a form of short-duration practice, typically delivered for around 30 minutes or less (Howarth et al., 2019). It can be conducted in various formats, including a short breathing exercise or body scan (Palascha et al., 2021), and are increasingly offered through digital platforms, including app-based formats.

Empirical evidence has examined the efficacy of brief mindfulness intervention and yielded mixed results. For some studies, positive effects were found, while some studies found no supporting evidence. Such inconsistencies may be due to the several current limitations of brief mindfulness intervention. Firstly, the duration of the intervention is too short. Given this brevity, these short practices may not offer the same immersion and depth that traditional mindfulness may offer. Secondly, most brief mindfulness utilised audio-based formats, which tend to be passive in nature and may not fully engage participants. Lastly, for brief mindfulness delivered through app-based platforms, these applications adopt a self-help approach, which may lower engagement and user commitment. Moreover, these applications also relied on audio guides which lacks the student-facilitator engagement found in traditional classes.

To address the current limitations within the literature, a between-within-subjects experiment will be conducted where participants will be randomly assigned to one of the three conditions: (1) an interactive brief mindfulness breathing ChatGPT-powered intervention, (2) an interactive mind-wandering ChatGPT-powered control, or (3) a mindfulness breathing audio control. We hypothesise that the brief mindfulness breathing ChatGPT-powered intervention group will have significant improvements in well-being outcomes as compared to the other two control groups. By exploring the potential of an interactive ChatGPT-powered intervention, this study aims to understand its efficacy in improving well-being.

Enrollment: 210 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Participants who are aged 18 to 30 (inclusive)

Exclusion criteria

• Not applicable

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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210 participants in 3 patient groups

Interactive Mind Wandering (ChatGPT)

Active Comparator group

Description:

The intervention is a ChatGPT-powered mind wandering bot configured using a 15-minute guided exercise adapted from Hafenbrack et al. (2014), Clinton et al. (2018), and Arch and Craske (2006). The session is divided into one-minute segments: the first minute provides settling instructions (for example, inviting participants to adopt a comfortable position), followed by step-by-step guidance of the mindfulness breathing exercise. To foster reflection and encourage active engagement, the chatbot was trained to interact with the participants using interactive prompts. This includes asking questions, such as "When you are ready, please share...What feeling or memory stood out most clearly as your mind wandered?", "When you are ready, please share...where did your attention drift... to just now?".

Treatment:

Other: Interactive Mind Wandering ChatGPT-Powered Intervention

Interactive Mindfulness Breathing (ChatGPT)

Experimental group

Description:

The intervention is a ChatGPT-powered mindfulness breathing bot configured using a 15-minute guided exercise adapted from Hafenbrack et al. (2014), Clinton et al. (2018), and Arch and Craske (2006). The session is divided into one-minute segments: the first minute provides settling instructions (for example, inviting participants to adopt a comfortable position), followed by step-by-step guidance of the mindfulness breathing exercise. To foster reflection and encourage active engagement, the chatbot was trained to interact with the participants using interactive prompts. This includes asking questions, such as " Share what this present moments feel like for you", "What sensations do you notice in your abdomen as you place your hand there?", "Share what stood out to you as you noticed your thoughts, feelings, or sensations just now.".

Treatment:

Other: Interactive Mindfulness Breathing ChatGPT-Powered Intervention

Mindfulness Breathing Audio

Active Comparator group

Description:

This intervention consists of listening to a 15-minute mindfulness breathing audio-only exercise, adapted from Hafenbrack et al. (2014), Clinton et al. (2018), and Arch and Craske (2006). There will be no verbal interactions in this intervention.

Treatment:

Other: Mindfulness Breathing Audio-only