The Effect of a CBT-BASED Mental Health Application (WOEBOT) on the Psychological Distress of South African University Students

Abstract

Mental health issues such as psychological distress are widespread among university students throughout the world, including South Africa. Chatbot mental health apps such as Woebot that employ artificial intelligence technology and cognitive behavioural therapy principles may be an alternative mode of mental health support for university students suffering from psychological distress. The aim of this quasi-experimental research design was to evaluate the effect of Woebot on the psychological distress levels of a sample of university students. University students (n=28) with elevated levels of psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire, GHQ-12≥9) were assigned nonrandomly through self-selection to either a mental health app intervention group or a non-intervention comparison group (control group). Self-report data were assessed at pre-treatment and post-treatment (3 weeks). The primary outcome measure was psychological distress change scores from pre-treatment to post-treatment (GHQ-12). A Spearman’s rank-order correlation test and an independent samples t-test were employed in this study. The results showed a non-statistically significant negative correlation between the participants’ average number of weekly Woebot interaction days and psychological distress. Moreover, the results showed that the Woebot intervention had a reduction effect on the psychological distress of university students. Further research is recommended to establish Woebot’s effectiveness on psychological distress in larger samples, over more extended periods and using more rigorous research designs such as randomised controlled trials.