Therapy and Emotional Support through a Chatbot

Abstract

In the context of advancing technological development, chatbots have emerged as an innovative tool in the field of mental health, offering new possibilities to provide therapy and emotional support in an accessible and convenient manner. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a chatbot implemented in a web application designed to provide emotional support to an adult population, specifically targeting young people and adults over the age of 18. The research focused on user satisfaction with the chatbot experience. Using a qualitative approach and non-random convenience sampling, we collected feedback on the chatbot’s performance from 15 users through an online questionnaire. The results showed a positive assessment, with an average satisfaction score of 4.09 on a scale of 1 to 5. The participants expressed their approval of the emotional support provided by the chatbot, emphasizing the sense of understanding and trust generated by the therapeutic interventions and emotional support. In conclusion, this study successfully assessed user satisfaction with the emotional support chatbot, emphasizing its significance in the realm of digital mental health. The scope of this study was solely focused on user satisfaction. For future research, it is recommended to expand the scope to investigate the correlation between user satisfaction and therapeutic outcomes. Additionally, there is a need to tailor these systems to meet the specific emotional requirements of diverse user groups and enhance the efficacy of mental health patient care. © 2024 by the authors of this article. Published under CC-BY.