ESP-3742

Published

2025-06-18

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 5 (2025): Published

Section

Research Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Genliang Zhang, Sovaritthon Chansaengsee, Poschanan Niramitchainont

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The journal adopts the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0), which means that anyone can reuse and redistribute the materials for non-commercial purposes as long as you follow the license terms and the original source is properly cited.

Author(s) shall retain the copyright of their work and grant the Journal/Publisher rights for the first publication with the work concurrently licensed since 2023 Vol.8 No.2.

Under this license, author(s) will allow third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content under the condition that the authors are given credit. No permission is required from the authors or the publisher.

This broad license intends to facilitate free access, as well as the unrestricted use of original works of all types. This ensures that the published work is freely and openly available in perpetuity.

By providing open access, the following benefits are brought about:

  • Higher Visibility, Availability and Citations-free and unlimited accessibility of the publication over the internet without any restrictions increases citation of the article.
  • Ease of search-publications are easily searchable in search engines and indexing databases.
  • Rapid Publication – accepted papers are immediately published online.
  • Available for free download immediately after publication at https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP

 

Copyright Statement

1.The authors certify that the submitted manuscripts are original works, do not infringe the rights of others, are free from academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, and that there are no disputes over the authorship scheme of the collaborative articles. In case of infringement, academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, as well as disputes over the authorship scheme, all responsibilities will be borne by the authors.

2. The author agrees to grant the Editorial Office of Environment and Social Psychology a licence to use the reproduction right, distribution right, information network dissemination right, performance right, translation right, and compilation right of the submitted manuscript, including the work as a whole, as well as the diagrams, tables, abstracts, and any other parts that can be extracted from the work and used in accordance with the characteristics of the journal. The Editorial Board of Environment and Social Psychology has the right to use and sub-licence the above mentioned works for wide dissemination in print, electronic and online versions, and, in accordance with the characteristics of the periodical, for the period of legal protection of the property right of the copyright in the work, and for the territorial scope of the work throughout the world.

3. The authors are entitled to the copyright of their works under the relevant laws of Singapore, provided that they do not exercise their rights in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the Journal.

About Licence

Environment and Social Psychology is an open access journal and all published work is available under the Creative Commons Licence, Authors shall retain copyright of their work and grant the journal/publisher the right of first publication, and their work shall be licensed under the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Under this licence, the author grants permission to third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content with attribution to the author. No permission from the author or publisher is required.

This broad licence is intended to facilitate free access to and unrestricted use of original works of all kinds. This ensures that published works remain free and accessible in perpetuity. Submitted manuscripts, once accepted, are immediately available to the public and permanently accessible free of charge on the journal’s official website (https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP). Allowing users to read, download, copy, print, search for or link to the full text of the article, or use it for other legal purposes. However, the use of the work must retain the author's signature, be limited to non-commercial purposes, and not be interpretative.

Click to download <Agreement on the Licence for the Use of Copyright on Environmental and Social Psychology>.

How to Cite

Zhang, G., Chansaengsee, S., & Niramitchainont, P. (2025). Integrating AI chatbots into mental health strategies: Pre-post intervention study on support for unemployed graduates in China. Environment and Social Psychology, 10(5), ESP-3742. https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i5.3742

Integrating AI chatbots into mental health strategies: Pre-post intervention study on support for unemployed graduates in China

Genliang Zhang

Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand

Sovaritthon Chansaengsee

Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand

Poschanan Niramitchainont

Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand


DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i5.3742


Keywords: artificial intelligence; AI chatbot; career readiness; anxiety; unemployed graduates; Chinese tertiary education

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a crucial role in tertiary education; reshaping teaching and learning experiences, streamlining administrative tasks, and driving research innovation. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of AI chatbot interventions on unemployed university graduates in China, in reducing anxiety and enhancing career readiness. A mixed-methods research design was employed, incorporating a quantitative approach using a randomized pretest-posttest control group design and a qualitative approach involving focus group discussion. Sixty unemployed graduates in China were randomly assigned to an experimental group (receiving eight structured AI chatbot counseling via Chat GPT); and control group (receiving human counseling and supplementary activities). Anxiety and career readiness were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (GAD-7) and Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS). The findings indicated that, following the intervention, the experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in both anxiety and career readiness, and greater than those measured in the control group. In terms of user experience, AI chatbots in counseling offer several advantages, including enhanced accessibility, constant availability, and anonymity. According to university policymakers, counselors, and technology specialists, AI chatbots can be effectively utilized by a large number of students to address diverse mental health concerns, ensuring cost efficiency compared to human counseling. Therefore, AI chatbot interventions represent as a feasible tool within tertiary education for delivering mental health and career development services under the guidance and oversight of counselors or educational advisors. Successful integration requires preparation in terms of leadership support, institutional policies, resource allocation, and capacity building for both students and staff.

References

[1]. 1.International Labour Organization. (2023). Global employment trends for youth 2023: Technology and the future of jobs. https://www.ilo.org

[2]. 2.Chen, W., & Zhao, Y. (2020). Graduate unemployment and job readiness: The challenges for Chinese universities. Chinese Education and Society, 53(2), 135–151.

[3]. 3.Chen, X., Li, H., & Zhang, Y. (2021). The psychological impact of unemployment on recent graduates. Journal of Mental Health Studies, 28(3), 245–261.

[4]. 4.International Labour Organization. (2023). Global employment trends for youth 2023: Technology and the future of jobs. https://www.ilo.org

[5]. 5.JAACAP. (2024). The effectiveness of pretest-posttest designs in mental healthresearch. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 63(1), 45–62.

[6]. 6.Yang, C.C., & Sheng, S.C. (2017). Is higher education expansion related to increasing unemployment rates? A comparative analysis of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. International Journal of Chinese Education, 5(2). https://brill.com/view/journals/ijce/5/2/ijce.5.issue-2.xml

[7]. 7.Liu, J. (2023). Well-being of Chinese students: A review in the context of education.International Journal of Chinese Education, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2212585X231163388

[8]. 8.Savickas, M. L., & Porfeli, E. J. (2012). Career Adapt-Abilities Scale: Construction, reliability, and measurement equivalence across 13 countries. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 80(3), 661–673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2012.01.011

[9]. 9.Xu, Q., Chen, R., & Zhang, L. (2023). The integration of AI-driven mental health tools into university career services. Journal of Higher Education Policy, 41(3), 321–340.

[10]. 10.Li, Y., & Zhu, J. (2023). The impact of stigma on help-seeking behavior among young adults in China. Journal of Psychological Well-being, 10(2), 89–104.

[11]. 11.Fitzpatrick, K. K., Darcy, A., & Vierhile, M. (2017). Delivering cognitive behavior therapy to young adults with symptoms of depression and anxiety using a fully automated conversational agent. JMIR Mental Health, 4(2),19.https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.7785

[12]. 12.Chew, H. S. J. (2022). The use of artificial intelligence–based conversational agents (Chatbots) for weight loss: scoping review and practical recommendations. JMIR medical informatics, 10(4), e32578.

[13]. 13.Shankar, S., et al. (2025). Development and feasibility testing of an AI-powered chatbot for early detection of caregiver burden: Protocol for a mixed methods feasibility study. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16, Article 1553494. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1553494.

[14]. 14.Tlili, A., et.al. (2023). What if the devil is my guardian angel: ChatGPT as a case study of using chatbots in education. Smart learning environments,10(1), 15.

[15]. 15.Antony, S., & Ramnath, R. (2023). A Phenomenological exploration of students'perceptions of AI chatbots in higher education. IAFOR Journal of Education, 11(2), 7-38.

[16]. 16.Fitzpatrick, K. K., Darcy, A., & Vierhile, M. (2017). Delivering cognitive behavior therapy to young adults with symptoms of depression and anxiety using a fully automated conversational agent. JMIR Mental Health, 4(2),19.https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.7785

[17]. 17.Inkster, B., Sarda, S., & Subramanian, V. (2018). An empathy-driven, conversational artificial intelligence agent (Wysa) for digital mental well-being: Real-world data evaluation mixed-methods study. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 6(11), e12106.

[18]. 18.Manole, A., Cârciumaru, R., Brînzaș, R., & Manole, F. (2024). Harnessing AI in anxiety management: A chatbot-based intervention for personalized mental health support. Information, 15(12), 768.

[19]. 19.Zielinski, C et al. (2023). Chatbots, generative AI, and scholarly manuscripts:

[20]. 20.WAME recommendations on chatbots and generative artificial intelligence in relation to scholarly publications. Colombia Médica, 54(3).

[21]. 21.Fitzpatrick, K. K., Darcy, A., & Vierhile, M. (2017). Delivering cognitive behavior therapy to young adults with symptoms of depression and anxiety using a fully automated conversational agent. JMIR Mental Health, 4(2),19.https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.7785

[22]. 22.Savickas, M. L., & Porfeli, E. J. (2012). Career Adapt-Abilities Scale: Construction, reliability, and measurement equivalence across 13 countries. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 80(3), 661–673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2012.01.011

[23]. 23.Almalki, et al. (2022). Career readiness among Saudi pharmacy students: Exploring the need for and the impact of career counseling services. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 13, 1267–1275.

[24]. 24.Dawood, E. (2024). Assessing the effectiveness of chatbots in providing personalized academic advising. Studies in Technology Enhanced Learning, 4(1).

[25]. 25.Xu, Q., Chen, R., & Zhang, L. (2023). The integration of AI-driven mental health tools into university career services. Journal of Higher Education Policy, 41(3), 321–340.

[26]. 26.Na, H. (2024a). CBT-LLM: A Chinese large language model for cognitive behavioral therapy-based mental health question answering. arXiv preprintarXiv:2403.16008.

[27]. 27.Na, H. (2024b). CBT-LLM: A Chinese large language model for cognitive behavioral therapy-based mental health question answering. In Proceedings of the 13th Language Resources and Evaluation Conference (pp. 1234–1245). European Language Resources Association.

[28]. 28.Sabour, S., Zhang, W., Xiao, X., et al. (2022). Chatbots for mental health support: Exploring the impact of Emohaa on reducing mental distress in China. arXiv preprint arXiv:2209.10183.

[29]. 29.Na, H. (2024a). CBT-LLM: A Chinese large language model for cognitive behavioral therapy-based mental health question answering. arXiv preprintarXiv:2403.16008.

[30]. 30.Na, H. (2024b). CBT-LLM: A Chinese large language model for cognitive behavioral therapy-based mental health question answering. In Proceedings of the 13th Language Resources and Evaluation Conference (pp. 1234–1245). European Language Resources Association.

[31]. 31.Sabour, S., Zhang, W., Xiao, X., et al. (2022). Chatbots for mental health support: Exploring the impact of Emohaa on reducing mental distress in China. arXiv preprint arXiv:2209.10183.

[32]. 32. Spitzer, R. L., Kroenke, K., Williams, J. B. W., & Löwe, B. (2006). A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: The GAD-7. Archives of Internal Medicine, 166(10), 1092–1097. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.166.10.1092

[33]. 33.Savickas, M. L., & Porfeli, E. J. (2012). Career Adapt-Abilities Scale: Construction, reliability, and measurement equivalence across 13 countries. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 80(3), 661–673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2012.01.011

[34]. 34.Fitzpatrick, K. K., Darcy, A., & Vierhile, M. (2017). Delivering cognitive behavior therapy to young adults with symptoms of depression and anxiety using a fully automated conversational agent. JMIR Mental Health, 4(2),19.https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.7785

[35]. 35.Inkster, B., Sarda, S., & Subramanian, V. (2018). An empathy-driven, conversational artificial intelligence agent (Wysa) for digital mental well-being: Real-world data evaluation mixed-methods study. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 6(11), e12106.

[36]. 36.Franze, A., Galanis, C. R., & King, D. L. (2023). Social chatbot use (e.g., ChatGPT) among individuals with social deficits: Risks and opportunities. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 12(4), 871–872.

[37]. 37.Rajala, R., Hakkarainen, V., Westerlund, M., & Sharma, S. (2023). Digital service innovation with AI: A systematic review and research agenda. Journal of Business Research, 157, 113609.

[38]. 38.Almalki, et al. (2022). Career readiness among Saudi pharmacy students: Exploring the need for and the impact of career counseling services. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 13, 1267–1275.

[39]. 39.Savickas, M. L., & Porfeli, E. J. (2012). Career Adapt-Abilities Scale: Construction, reliability, and measurement equivalence across 13 countries. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 80(3), 661–673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2012.01.011

[40]. 40.Trappey, A. J., Lin, A. P., Hsu, K. Y., Trappey, C. V., & Tu, K. L. (2022). Development of an empathy-centric counseling chatbot system capable of sentimental dialogue analysis. Processes, 10(5), 930.

[41]. 41.Chew, H. S. J. (2022). The use of artificial intelligence–based conversational agents (Chatbots) for weight loss: scoping review and practical recommendations. JMIR medical informatics, 10(4), e32578.

[42]. 42.Zielinski, C et al. (2023). Chatbots, generative AI, and scholarly manuscripts: WAME recommendations on chatbots and generative artificial intelligence in relation to scholarly publications. Colombia Médica, 54(3).

[43]. 43.Ghosh, S., & Ghosh, S. (2022). AI-based career counseling with chatbots. International Journal of Engineering Applied Sciences and Technology, 7(1), 245–249.

[44]. 44.Xu, Q., Chen, R., & Zhang, L. (2023). The integration of AI-driven mental health tools into university career services. Journal of Higher Education Policy, 41(3), 321–340.



21 Woodlands Close #02-10, Primz Bizhub,Postal 737854, Singapore

Email:editorial_office@as-pub.com