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AI chatbot aims to spark joy in people with anhedonia

NCT ID NCT07665242

Symptom relief Sponsor: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 10, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study tests whether a chatbot that uses motivational interviewing can improve how people with anhedonia (loss of interest or pleasure) respond to social rewards. Eighty college students with elevated depression and anhedonia will interact with the chatbot regularly over a period, and brain scans will measure changes in how their brains anticipate social and monetary rewards. The goal is to see if this low-cost digital tool can help re-engage reward-seeking behavior.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Motivational Interviewing chatbot
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a low-cost digital tool to help people with anhedonia engage more with social rewards.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage study in healthy college students, so results may not apply to broader populations. The intervention is brief and behavioral, so any benefits may be modest or short-lived.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 80 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Jun 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Dec 2028

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 40 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * 18-40 years * Right-handed * Normal or corrected normal visual acuity * Participants must show elevated anhedonia and depressive symptoms at screening, defined as a total score of 22 or higher on the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale and a score of 14 or higher on the Beck Depression Inventory Exclusion Criteria: * History of major central nervous system disorders, such as epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, stroke, or brain tumors. * History of severe mental illness, including schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, or other psychotic disorders. * History of substance or alcohol use disorder or substance or alcohol misuse within the past 12 months that may affect study participation or outcome assessment. * Individuals currently at high risk of suicide, severe self-harm, or experiencing an acute psychiatric crisis. * Individuals who are currently using psychiatric medications or have undergone psychotherapy within the past 4 weeks that may significantly affect mood, motivation, or reward processing. * Severe vision or hearing impairments that cannot be corrected and would interfere with task performance. * Contraindications to MRI scanning, including metallic implants, pacemakers, severe claustrophobia, or other conditions incompatible with MRI. * Pregnancy or breastfeeding.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Healthy

How to take part

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  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

    RECRUITING

    Chengdu, Sichuan, China

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