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The following is a summary of “A systematic review of chatbot-assisted interventions for substance use,” published in the September 2024 issue of Psychiatry by Lee et al.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study exploring the effectiveness of chatbots in dealing with substance use and its application for prevention, assessment, and treatment methods. 

They followed PRISMA guidelines and selected 28 articles from 998 references. Data were coded for study characteristics, intervention types and content, sample details, substance use specifics, measurement tools, and findings, focusing on chatbot-assisted interventions’ effectiveness and factors influencing their success.

The results showed that half of the studies focused on smoking, with over 85% of interventions targeting treatment, 7.14% on prevention, and 3.57% on assessment. Perceived quitting effectiveness ranged from 25% to 50%, while reduced use was 66.67% to 83.33%. Of the studies evaluating statistical effectiveness (46.43%), all experimental and quasi-experimental research showed significant and valid results. Personalization and tips were critical facilitators in 30% of studies. 

Investigators concluded that this study provides important insights into creating and validating chatbot-assisted interventions, helping to establish a strong base for their effectiveness in substance use treatment.

Source: frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1456689/full