An Artificially Intelligent Chat Agent That Answers Adolescents' Questions Related to Sex, Drugs, and Alcohol: An Exploratory Study

doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.09.002

Journal of Adolescent Health

Volume 48, Issue 5, May 2011, Pages 514-519

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.09.002 Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate if and how an artificially intelligent chat agent (chatbot) that answers questions about sex, drugs, and alcohol is used and evaluated by adolescents, especially in comparison with information lines and search engines.

Methods

A sample of 929 adolescents (64% girls, mean age = 15), varying in urbanization level and educational level, participated in this study. Use of the chatbot was objectively tracked through server registrations (e.g., frequency and duration of conversations with the chatbot, the number and topics of queries), and a web-based questionnaire was used to evaluate the chatbot (e.g., the perception of anonymity, conciseness, ease of use, fun, quality and quantity of information, and speed) and to compare it with information lines and search engines.

Results

The chatbot reached high school attendees in general and not only adolescents with previous experience related to sex, drugs, or alcohol; this is promising from an informed decision-making point of view. Frequency (M = 11) and duration of conversations (3:57 minutes) was high and the chatbot was evaluated positively, especially in comparison with information lines and search engines.

Conclusion

Section snippets

Procedure and participants

The chatbot was brought to the attention of adolescents by means of flyers, announcements in newspapers and magazines, online channels (e.g., banners on http://nl.msn.com; through World of Alice, http://nl.worldofalice.com), and a text-link in their WLM. Use of the chatbot by adolescents was objectively tracked through server registrations between January and November 2009. This unobtrusive means of data collection is independent of participants' memory, interpretation, and social desirability.

Results

From the pool of potential participants of 3,746 adolescents who were invited to fill out the questionnaire, 1,041 responded to this invitation (response rate: 28%). Of these, 112 were excluded for further analyses, because they gave improbable answers (e.g., age: <8 years; using the Internet: >70 hrs/wk; including data from these participants revealed similar results). This resulted in a final sample of 929 adolescents of whom 737 completed the questionnaire (retention rate: 79%). Because we

Discussion

The chatbot in this study reached a group of adolescents who are not easily accessible: high school attendees, varying in level urbanization and education [23]. Both adolescents with and without previous experience related to sex, drugs, or alcohol, used the chatbot. It is promising, from an informed decision-making point of view that these adolescents consult the chatbot to answer their questions before they gain experience with these potentially risky behaviors. However, female adolescents

Conclusion

The use of chatbots within the field of health promotion has a large potential to reach a varied group of adolescents and to provide them with answers to their questions related to sex, drugs, and alcohol. The chatbot in this study was used intensively and evaluated positively, especially in comparison with information lines and search engines. Nevertheless, further development of stimulating human-like conversation by these chatbots is required.

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant from ZonMw: The Netherlands organization for health research and development.

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Original articleAn Artificially Intelligent Chat Agent That Answers Adolescents' Questions Related to Sex, Drugs, and Alcohol: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Section snippets

Procedure and participants

Results

Discussion

Conclusion

Acknowledgments

Prev Med

Telematics Inform

J Appl Dev Psychol

J Adolesc

J Consum Psychol

Trends in media use

Future Child

How to reach a target group with internet-delivered interventions? The European health

Psychologist

A conceptual framework for understanding and improving adolescents' exposure to internet-delivered interventions

Health Promot Int

Wat doen jongeren op internet en hoe verslavend is dit?

Social interaction with computers: An interpretation of Weizenbaum's ELIZA and her heritage

Soc Sci Comput Rev

Break the habit! Designing an e-therapy intervention using a virtual coach in aid of smoking cessation

Lecture Notes Comput Sci

CitizenTalk: Application of chatbot infotainment to e-democracy

Lecture Notes Comput Sci

Original article
An Artificially Intelligent Chat Agent That Answers Adolescents' Questions Related to Sex, Drugs, and Alcohol: An Exploratory Study