Maciejewski Jan, Smoktunowicz Ewelina
Department of Psychology, SWPS University, Warsaw, Poland.
StresLab Research Centre, Institute of Psychology, SWPS University, Warsaw, Poland.
Internet Interv. 2023 Jul 25;33:100653. doi: 10.1016/j.invent.2023.100653. eCollection 2023 Sep.
In order to be more accessible and overcome the challenges of low adherence and high dropout, self-guided internet interventions need to seek new delivery formats. In this study, we tested whether a widely-adopted social media app - Meta's (Facebook) Messenger - would be a suitable conveyor of such an internet intervention. Specifically, we verified the efficacy of Stressbot: a Messenger chatbot-delivered intervention focused on enhancing coping self-efficacy to reduce stress and improve quality of life in university students. Participants ( = 372) were randomly assigned to two conditions: (1) an experimental group with access to the Stressbot intervention, and (2) a waitlist control group. Three outcomes, namely coping self-efficacy, stress, and quality of life, were assessed at three time points: a baseline, post-test, and one-month follow-up. Linear Mixed Effects Models were used to analyze the data. At post-test, we found improvements in the Stressbot condition compared to the control condition for stress ( = -0.33) and coping self-efficacy ( = 0.50), but not for quality of life. A sensitivity analysis revealed that the positive short-term intervention effects were robust. At the follow-up, there were no differences between groups, indicating that the intervention was effective only in the short term. In sum, the results suggest that the Messenger app is a viable means to deliver a self-guided internet intervention. However, modifications such as a more engaging design or boosters are required for the effects to persist.
为了更易于使用并克服依从性低和高辍学率的挑战，自我引导式互联网干预需要寻求新的交付形式。在本研究中，我们测试了一款广泛使用的社交媒体应用程序——Meta（脸书）的Messenger——是否会是这种互联网干预的合适载体。具体而言，我们验证了Stressbot的功效：这是一种通过Messenger聊天机器人提供的干预措施，旨在增强应对自我效能，以减轻大学生的压力并改善生活质量。参与者（n = 372）被随机分配到两种情况：（1）可以使用Stressbot干预措施的实验组，以及（2）候补对照组。在三个时间点评估了三个结果，即应对自我效能、压力和生活质量：基线、测试后和一个月随访。使用线性混合效应模型分析数据。在测试后，我们发现与对照组相比，Stressbot组在压力（β = -0.33）和应对自我效能（β = 0.50）方面有所改善，但在生活质量方面没有改善。敏感性分析表明，积极的短期干预效果是稳健的。在随访中，两组之间没有差异，表明干预仅在短期内有效。总之，结果表明Messenger应用程序是提供自我引导式互联网干预的可行手段。然而，需要进行一些修改，例如采用更具吸引力的设计或强化措施，以使效果持续。
