Imkome Ek-Uma, Soonthornchaiya Rangsiman, Lakanavisid Ploi, Deepaisarn Somrudee, Wongpatikasereeb Konlakorn, Suebnukarn Siriwan, Matthews Alicia K
Faculty of Nursing, Department of Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand.
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine and Family Medicine, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand.
Nurs Health Sci. 2025 Jun;27(2):e70093. doi: 10.1111/nhs.70093.
Mental health disorders are a significant concern for older adults. Technology has the potential to provide support and companionship, which may improve mental health outcomes. This pilot experimental study explored the feasibility and potential effectiveness of the Ai-Aun chatbot in enhancing mental health among older adults in Thailand. Forty-four participants were randomly divided into an experimental group (n = 22) and a control group (n = 22). The experimental group interacted with the Ai-Aun avatar chatbot on an Android phone for 15 days. Mental health was assessed using the Thai Geriatric Mental Health Assessment Tool, and post-test scores were compared using ANOVA. The results showed a significant difference between the two groups, F(1, 42) = 15.85, p < 0.001, with an effect size of η = 0.27. Satisfaction with the chatbot was notably high, with 81.8% of participants reporting ease of use and interactivity. These preliminary findings suggest that the Ai-Aun chatbot shows potential as a tool to enhance mental health among Thai older adults.
心理健康障碍是老年人的一个重大关切问题。科技有潜力提供支持与陪伴，这可能改善心理健康状况。这项试点实验研究探讨了艾昂聊天机器人在改善泰国老年人心理健康方面的可行性和潜在效果。44名参与者被随机分为实验组（n = 22）和对照组（n = 22）。实验组在安卓手机上与艾昂虚拟聊天机器人互动15天。使用泰国老年心理健康评估工具评估心理健康状况，并使用方差分析比较测试后得分。结果显示两组之间存在显著差异，F(1, 42) = 15.85，p < 0.001，效应量η = 0.27。对聊天机器人的满意度显著较高，81.8%的参与者报告其使用方便且具有互动性。这些初步研究结果表明，艾昂聊天机器人作为一种改善泰国老年人心理健康的工具具有潜力。
