Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable

Pai.ACT: AI-Driven ACT Chatbot for Mental Health Triage and Service Evaluation

340 participantsStarted 2025-02-10

Plain-language summary

Parents of children with special needs in Hong Kong often face limited psychological support, which can negatively impact the child rehabilitation process and the well-being of parent-child relationships. To address this gap, we have developed Pai.ACT, the first deep learning-based mental health advisory system for parents. Pai.ACT features an AI chatbot that integrates the counselling principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) through natural language processing, providing parents with a human-like voice-to-text experience. Using data from chatbot interactions, the Pai.ACT platform offers assessments regarding the individual's psychological inflexibility status and delivers stratified mental health interventions by: * Low-risk: Users access self-help ACT digital modules tailored to their specific psychological inflexibility processes. * Moderate-risk: In addition to the self-help modules, users receive 4-6 sessions of video-conferencing-based ACT interventions (45-60 minutes per session) conducted by our trained counseling team. * High-risk: Users are directed to specialized mental health services provided by collaborating units. The study includes a regional randomised controlled trial (RCT) in Hong Kong's Sha Tin District, in collaboration with the Shatin District Office. The goal of this regional study is to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of combining AI-driven mental health support across all of Hong Kong. Focus group interviews will also explore parents' perceptions of Pai.ACT and help identify the most effective service model for scaling its use. Pai.ACT provides accessible and comprehensive mental health services to Chinese-speaking parents, helping to alleviate the psychological burden of caregiving. By integrating mental health support with child rehabilitation services and non-governmental organisations, Pai.ACT has the potential to enhance family caregivers' well-being, reduce stigma associated with special needs children, and promote more significant mental health awareness in Chinese-speaking communities.

Who can participate

Age range

19 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: The participants of the study are primary caregivers, specifically parents, must be Cantonese-speaking residents of Hong Kong. Eligible parents are required to cohabitate with a child aged 2 to 9 years who has either a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental condition, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or Developmental Delay (DD). These conditions must be recognised by the Child Assessment Service of the Department of Health and meet the diagnostic criteria specified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). The diagnosis or suspected diagnosis must be formally documented in the child's case profile maintained at the collaborating non-governmental organisations. Exclusion Criteria: * Parents diagnosed with severe mental illnesses. * Pregnant parents or those less than six months postpartum. * Parents with a developmental disability that impairs their ability to understand the program's content. * Parents with cognitive, language, communication, visual, or hearing impairments that could hinder their comprehension of the intervention content. * Parents actively participating in other psychosocial, psychoeducational, or parenting interventions.

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Parenting Stress

Timeframe: Change from baseline to immediate and 6 months post-intervention

Child's Emotional and Behavioural Symptoms

Timeframe: Change from baseline to immediate and 6 months post-intervention

Trial details

NCT IDNCT06808555

SponsorChinese University of Hong Kong

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2026-02-28

Contact for this trial

Yuen Yu CHONG, PhD

(852) 3943 0665 conniechong@cuhk.edu.hk

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Autism Spectrum Disorder trials