Pai.ACT - An Artificial Intelligence Driven Chatbot Assisted ACT

Launched by CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG · Oct 11, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The Pai.ACT trial is studying a new tool designed to support parents of children with special needs, such as autism, ADHD, and other developmental disorders. This tool is a chatbot that uses advanced technology to provide mental health guidance and support. It helps parents have friendly, text-based conversations where they can get advice and resources tailored to their needs. The goal is to see if this chatbot can make it easier for parents to cope with the challenges they face, ultimately improving their mental well-being and the care they provide to their children.

To participate in this trial, you need to be a primary caregiver who speaks Cantonese and lives in Hong Kong, and you must live with a child aged 2 to 8 years who has been diagnosed or is suspected to have a developmental condition. However, parents with severe mental illnesses, those who are pregnant or recently gave birth, and those facing certain communication challenges may not be eligible. If you join the trial, you can expect to test the chatbot and share your thoughts on its effectiveness, helping to shape future support services for families like yours. This initiative aims not only to provide immediate help but also to raise awareness and reduce stigma around children with special needs in the community.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Primary caregivers who are Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong residents.
• • The caregiver must cohabitate with the child with special needs.
• • The child under the participant's care should be aged between 2-8 years. The child should be either diagnosed or suspected to have one of the developmental conditions such as ASD, ADHD, or DD. These conditions must be recognised by the Child Assessment Service of the Department of Health and conform to the DSM-5 criteria. The diagnosis or suspected diagnosis should be documented in the electronic medical record at the study hospital or the case profile record at the collaborating non-governmental organisations.
• • Note: The age range of 2-8 years was selected due to the substantial impact of parenting on the developmental milestones of preschoolers and junior school-aged children.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Parents diagnosed with severe mental illnesses are excluded.
• • Parents who are currently pregnant are excluded.
• • Parents who are less than six months postpartum are excluded.
• • Parents with a developmental disability that interferes with their ability to comprehend the program's content are excluded.
• • Parents with cognitive, language, communication, visual, or hearing impairments or disorders that could impede their understanding of the intervention content are excluded.
• • Parents currently participating in other psychosocial, psychoeducational, or parenting interventions are excluded.