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Chatbot Intervention Effects on Social and Monetary Incentive Processing in Anhedonia

7 juli 2026 bijgewerkt door: Benjamin Becker, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Effects of a Chatbot-Based Intervention on Behavioral Responsiveness and Neural Anticipation of Social and Monetary Incentives in Individuals With Anhedonia

The main aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of a Motivational Interviewing-based artificial intelligence chatbot on social incentive processing in college students with elevated levels of depression and anhedonia by combining a randomized active-control intervention design with pre- and post-intervention Social Incentive Delay Task assessments during fMRI.

Studie Overzicht

Toestand

Werving

Conditie

Interventie / Behandeling

Gedetailleerde beschrijving

Anhedonia represents a core characteristic of depression and is characterized by reduced experience of pleasure. It is closely related to decreased motivation, altered reward processing, changes in affective responsiveness, and alterations in intrinsic brain network function. Anhedonia is not specifically targeted by currently available pharmacological interventions. Initial evidence indicates that an increased willingness to change and implementation of change in daily life can alleviate anhedonia.

The present study aims to examine whether a Motivational Interviewing-based AI chatbot can lead to changes in social incentive processing in college students with elevated anhedonia and depressive symptoms. Social incentive processing is included because social approval, social feedback, and interpersonal reward are important sources of motivation in daily life and may be altered in individuals with elevated anhedonia. The Social Incentive Delay Task allows the study to examine behavioral and neural responses during the anticipation and receipt of social incentives. To this end, eligible participants with a total score of 22 or higher on the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale and a score of 14 or higher on the Beck Depression Inventory will undergo a randomized, between-subjects, active-control intervention study. Participants will be assigned to either a Motivational Interviewing-based chatbot group or an active control chatbot group for 1 week. Pre- and post-intervention assessments will include self-report questionnaires and the Social Incentive Delay Task during functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine psychological, behavioral, and neural effects of the intervention.

Studietype

Ingrijpend

Inschrijving (Geschat)

80

Fase

  • Niet toepasbaar

Contacten en locaties

In dit gedeelte vindt u de contactgegevens van degenen die het onderzoek uitvoeren en informatie over waar dit onderzoek wordt uitgevoerd.

Studiecontact

  • Naam: Benjamin Becker, Dr
  • Telefoonnummer: (852) 3917-5097
  • E-mail: bbecker@hku.hk

Studie Locaties

  • China
    • Sichuan
      • Chengdu, Sichuan, China
        • Werving
        • University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Deelname Criteria

Onderzoekers zoeken naar mensen die aan een bepaalde beschrijving voldoen, de zogenaamde geschiktheidscriteria. Enkele voorbeelden van deze criteria zijn iemands algemene gezondheidstoestand of eerdere behandelingen.

Geschiktheidscriteria

Leeftijden die in aanmerking komen voor studie

  • Volwassen

Accepteert gezonde vrijwilligers

Ja

Beschrijving

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 18-40 years
  • Right-handed
  • Normal or corrected normal visual acuity
  • Participants must show elevated anhedonia and depressive symptoms at screening, defined as a total score of 22 or higher on the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale and a score of 14 or higher on the Beck Depression Inventory

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of major central nervous system disorders, such as epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, stroke, or brain tumors.
  • History of severe mental illness, including schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, or other psychotic disorders.
  • History of substance or alcohol use disorder or substance or alcohol misuse within the past 12 months that may affect study participation or outcome assessment.
  • Individuals currently at high risk of suicide, severe self-harm, or experiencing an acute psychiatric crisis.
  • Individuals who are currently using psychiatric medications or have undergone psychotherapy within the past 4 weeks that may significantly affect mood, motivation, or reward processing.
  • Severe vision or hearing impairments that cannot be corrected and would interfere with task performance.
  • Contraindications to MRI scanning, including metallic implants, pacemakers, severe claustrophobia, or other conditions incompatible with MRI.
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Studie plan

Dit gedeelte bevat details van het studieplan, inclusief hoe de studie is opgezet en wat de studie meet.

Hoe is de studie opgezet?

Ontwerpdetails

  • Primair doel: Fundamentele wetenschap
  • Toewijzing: Gerandomiseerd
  • Interventioneel model: Parallelle opdracht
  • Masker: Dubbele

Wapens en interventies

Deelnemersgroep / Arm
Interventie / Behandeling
Experimenteel: Motivational Interviewing-based AI chatbot group
Motivational Interviewing-based AI chatbot intervention
Gedragsmatig: MI Chatbot Interaction
The experimental chatbot is designed to use principles of Motivational Interviewing to support participants in exploring their personal values, motivation for change, and daily behavioral goals related to pleasure, engagement, and reward-seeking. During the intervention period, participants will interact with the chatbot regularly through brief text-based conversations. The chatbot will provide empathic, non-judgmental responses, encourage reflection on current difficulties, and help participants identify small, feasible actions that may increase daily engagement and positive experiences. It will not provide diagnosis, crisis counseling, or medical treatment.
Actieve vergelijker: Active control chatbot group
Active control nature-story chatbot intervention
Gedragsmatig: Active Control Chatbot Interaction
Participants will interact with a chatbot matched in format and frequency of use. This chatbot will provide neutral nature-related stories or general natural history content. It will be designed to maintain participant engagement while avoiding therapeutic techniques, motivational interviewing strategies, behavioral activation guidance, or personalized mental health advice. This active control condition will help control for nonspecific effects of chatbot interaction, attention, expectancy, and digital engagement.

Wat meet het onderzoek?

Primaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Neural Activity During Social Incentive Anticipation
Tijdsspanne: Baseline before the first chatbot interaction and Week 1 after completion of the chatbot intervention.
Participants will undergo task-based BOLD fMRI while completing the Social Incentive Delay Task. Neural responses during the anticipation of social incentive cues will be compared with responses to neutral cues using a general linear model. Pre-to-post intervention changes will be evaluated from the resulting beta contrast estimates.
Baseline before the first chatbot interaction and Week 1 after completion of the chatbot intervention.
Neural Activity During Monetary Incentive Anticipation
Tijdsspanne: Baseline before the first chatbot interaction and Week 1 after completion of the chatbot intervention.
Task-based BOLD fMRI data will be acquired while participants perform the Monetary Incentive Delay Task. Neural responses associated with the anticipation of monetary reward and punishment will be estimated using a general linear model. Beta contrast estimates will be calculated for monetary reward versus neutral and monetary punishment versus neutral conditions. These estimates will be used to assess changes between baseline and post-intervention.
Baseline before the first chatbot interaction and Week 1 after completion of the chatbot intervention.

Secundaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Behavioral Responsiveness to Social Incentive Cues
Tijdsspanne: Baseline before the first chatbot interaction and Week 1 after completion of the chatbot intervention.
Reaction time, accuracy, and hit rate will be calculated separately for social incentive cue conditions and neutral cue conditions in the Social Incentive Delay Task before and after the intervention. Behavioral differences between social incentive and neutral cue conditions will also be derived and compared from baseline to post-intervention.
Baseline before the first chatbot interaction and Week 1 after completion of the chatbot intervention.
Behavioral responsiveness to monetary incentives
Tijdsspanne: Baseline before the first chatbot interaction and Week 1 after completion of the chatbot intervention.
The Monetary Incentive Delay Task will be administered before and after the intervention. Reaction time, accuracy, and hit rate will be extracted separately for monetary incentive cue conditions and neutral cue conditions, and changes in behavioral differences between monetary incentive and neutral cue conditions will be calculated.
Baseline before the first chatbot interaction and Week 1 after completion of the chatbot intervention.

Medewerkers en onderzoekers

Hier vindt u mensen en organisaties die betrokken zijn bij dit onderzoek.

Sponsor

University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Studie record data

Deze datums volgen de voortgang van het onderzoeksdossier en de samenvatting van de ingediende resultaten bij ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieverslagen en gerapporteerde resultaten worden beoordeeld door de National Library of Medicine (NLM) om er zeker van te zijn dat ze voldoen aan specifieke kwaliteitscontrolenormen voordat ze op de openbare website worden geplaatst.

Bestudeer belangrijke data

Studie start (Geschat)

20 juni 2026

Primaire voltooiing (Geschat)

30 juni 2028

Studie voltooiing (Geschat)

31 december 2028

Studieregistratiedata

Eerst ingediend

17 juni 2026

Eerst ingediend dat voldeed aan de QC-criteria

22 juni 2026

Eerst geplaatst (Werkelijk)

24 juni 2026

Updates van studierecords

Laatste update geplaatst (Werkelijk)

9 juli 2026

Laatste update ingediend die voldeed aan QC-criteria

7 juli 2026

Laatst geverifieerd

1 juni 2026

Meer informatie

Termen gerelateerd aan deze studie

Trefwoorden

Andere studie-ID-nummers

  • BAM_lab_MI_03

Plan Individuele Deelnemersgegevens (IPD)

Bent u van plan om gegevens van individuele deelnemers (IPD) te delen?

NEE

Beschrijving IPD-plan

Corresponding individual level data will be made available upon request.

Informatie over medicijnen en apparaten, studiedocumenten

Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd geneesmiddel

Nee

Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd apparaatproduct

Nee

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