Chatbot-delivered structured psychological intervention (SPI-Bot) for teenagers with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in Hong Kong: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial
Introduction Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) often imposes a significant psychological burden on teenagers. Cognitive and behavioural strategies have demonstrated the potential to alleviate these challenges. Chatbots, with their real-time interaction capabilities, provide a promising and acces...
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BMJ Publishing Group
2025-07-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e098734.full |
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| author | Yan Li Jiaying Li Engle Angela Chan Teng Zhang Yuan Cao Nan Meng Lu Yu Jason Pui Yin Cheung Zhaolong Wu Dennis Chak Fai Ma |
| author_facet | Yan Li Jiaying Li Engle Angela Chan Teng Zhang Yuan Cao Nan Meng Lu Yu Jason Pui Yin Cheung Zhaolong Wu Dennis Chak Fai Ma |
| author_sort | Yan Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) often imposes a significant psychological burden on teenagers. Cognitive and behavioural strategies have demonstrated the potential to alleviate these challenges. Chatbots, with their real-time interaction capabilities, provide a promising and accessible approach to delivering psychological interventions for young people.Method and analysis This pilot trial will evaluate a chatbot-delivered, structured psychological intervention (SPI-Bot) incorporating cognitive and behavioural strategies for teenagers with AIS. Conducted as a single-centre, parallel-group randomised controlled trial, the study aims to assess the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of SPI-Bot. Fifty-two teenagers with AIS and mild to moderate psychological symptoms will be block-randomised into two groups. The intervention group will complete an 8-week, evidence-based SPI-Bot programme, while the control group will engage in casual conversations with another chatbot that does not include specific psychological health content. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, postintervention (8 weeks) and follow-up (12 weeks). Primary outcomes include feasibility and acceptability, measured through recruitment rates, adherence rates, attrition rates, engagement, working alliance, usability, user experience and adverse events. Secondary outcomes focus on effectiveness, including psychological distress, psychological well-being, perceived social support and quality of life. Participants in the intervention group will be purposively sampled for semistructured interviews to explore their perceptions of the intervention process.Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Reference: HSEARS20240919007). The results of this pilot study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.Trial registration number NCT06698952 |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7fcd9fc60f8d48bf9294fcbac40581e4 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-7fcd9fc60f8d48bf9294fcbac40581e42025-08-20T02:37:23ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-07-0115710.1136/bmjopen-2025-098734Chatbot-delivered structured psychological intervention (SPI-Bot) for teenagers with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in Hong Kong: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trialYan Li0Jiaying Li1Engle Angela Chan2Teng Zhang3Yuan Cao4Nan Meng5Lu Yu6Jason Pui Yin Cheung7Zhaolong Wu8Dennis Chak Fai Ma9School of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, People`s Republic of ChinaSchool of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, People`s Republic of ChinaSchool of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, People`s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People`s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Social Work, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People`s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People`s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, People`s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People`s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People`s Republic of ChinaSchool of Nursing, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, People`s Republic of ChinaIntroduction Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) often imposes a significant psychological burden on teenagers. Cognitive and behavioural strategies have demonstrated the potential to alleviate these challenges. Chatbots, with their real-time interaction capabilities, provide a promising and accessible approach to delivering psychological interventions for young people.Method and analysis This pilot trial will evaluate a chatbot-delivered, structured psychological intervention (SPI-Bot) incorporating cognitive and behavioural strategies for teenagers with AIS. Conducted as a single-centre, parallel-group randomised controlled trial, the study aims to assess the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of SPI-Bot. Fifty-two teenagers with AIS and mild to moderate psychological symptoms will be block-randomised into two groups. The intervention group will complete an 8-week, evidence-based SPI-Bot programme, while the control group will engage in casual conversations with another chatbot that does not include specific psychological health content. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, postintervention (8 weeks) and follow-up (12 weeks). Primary outcomes include feasibility and acceptability, measured through recruitment rates, adherence rates, attrition rates, engagement, working alliance, usability, user experience and adverse events. Secondary outcomes focus on effectiveness, including psychological distress, psychological well-being, perceived social support and quality of life. Participants in the intervention group will be purposively sampled for semistructured interviews to explore their perceptions of the intervention process.Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Reference: HSEARS20240919007). The results of this pilot study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.Trial registration number NCT06698952https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e098734.full |
| spellingShingle | Yan Li Jiaying Li Engle Angela Chan Teng Zhang Yuan Cao Nan Meng Lu Yu Jason Pui Yin Cheung Zhaolong Wu Dennis Chak Fai Ma Chatbot-delivered structured psychological intervention (SPI-Bot) for teenagers with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in Hong Kong: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial BMJ Open |
| title | Chatbot-delivered structured psychological intervention (SPI-Bot) for teenagers with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in Hong Kong: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial |
| title_full | Chatbot-delivered structured psychological intervention (SPI-Bot) for teenagers with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in Hong Kong: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial |
| title_fullStr | Chatbot-delivered structured psychological intervention (SPI-Bot) for teenagers with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in Hong Kong: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Chatbot-delivered structured psychological intervention (SPI-Bot) for teenagers with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in Hong Kong: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial |
| title_short | Chatbot-delivered structured psychological intervention (SPI-Bot) for teenagers with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in Hong Kong: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial |
| title_sort | chatbot delivered structured psychological intervention spi bot for teenagers with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in hong kong protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e098734.full |
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