Use of a Generative AI (Gen-AI) Chatbot for Anxiety and Depression Among Persons With Cannabis Use

NCT ID: NCT06920238

Last Updated: 2025-09-08

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

PHASE1

Total Enrollment

15 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-04-13

Study Completion Date

2025-12-31

Brief Summary

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The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if Therabot-CALM (Cannabis, Anxiety, Low Mood) has acceptability among users and could work to improve the symptoms of persons with cannabis use disorder and anxiety and/or depression. The main question it aims to answer is:

What is the usability, feasibility, and acceptability of Therabot-CALM in persons with Cannabis Use Disorder and Anxiety and/or Depression?

Participants will

* Take a screening questionnaire
* Participate in two virtual 1-hour interviews to provide feedback on app design and suggest features.
* Engage with Therabot-CALM in a 4-week clinical trial and provide feedback on their app experience in a third virtual interview

Detailed Description

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Participants will complete a two-stage screening process via REDCap to determine their eligibility for enrollment. Participants who meet criteria and provide informed consent will be enrolled and participate in three interviews and the 4-week clinical trial.

After the first interview, researchers will fine-tune Therabot-CALM based on feedback received during the interview. After the second interview, experts by experience (EBEs) will engage with Therabot-CALM at least once per day for 4 weeks. After the clinical trial period, participants will receive an email with a link to complete the post-intervention measures delivered via REDCap, including the System Usability Scale (SUS), Treatment Acceptability and Adherence Scale (TAAS), Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test - Revised (CUDIT-R), the Daily Sessions, Frequency, Age of Onset, and Quantity of Cannabis Use Inventory (DFAQ-CU), the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire for depression (PHQ-9), and the 7-item generalized anxiety disorder screener for DSM-5 (GAD-7). Participants will then be asked to return for a third interview to provide feedback on their experience with Therabot-CALM.

Researchers will use the IDEAS (Innovate, Develop, Evaluate, Adapt, Scale) Impact Framework to plan and conduct three, one-on-one interviews with a trained research assistant (RA). Each interview script will be developed using the IDEAS Impact Framework and follow a semi-structured design, such that the RA will follow a set of questions, with as-needed probing for follow-up. Interviews will be recorded via a virtual platform.

Conditions

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Cannabis Use Disorder Anxiety Depression, Anxiety Depression - Major Depressive Disorder

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Therabot-CALM Model
Primary Study Purpose

DEVICE_FEASIBILITY

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Therabot-CALM

Participants will engage in three one-hour interviews and a 4-week clinical trial where they may interact with Therabot-CALM as much or as little as they want.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Therabot-CALM

Intervention Type DEVICE

Therabot is a generative-AI-driven mobile app designed to provide mental health treatment. The feasibility of Therabot-CALM, an adapted Therabot application, is being tested for the future use of treating co-occurring substance use disorders and anxiety and/or depression. The primary purpose of this study is application feasibility.

Interventions

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Therabot-CALM

Therabot is a generative-AI-driven mobile app designed to provide mental health treatment. The feasibility of Therabot-CALM, an adapted Therabot application, is being tested for the future use of treating co-occurring substance use disorders and anxiety and/or depression. The primary purpose of this study is application feasibility.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Is 18 years or older.
* Meet criteria for current CUD (CUDIT-R\>=12) and MDD (PHQ-9\>=10), and/or GAD (GAD-7\>=10).
* Have reliable access to the internet and a compatible device for Therabot-CALM.
* Have willingness and capacity to provide informed consent and commit to participating in all assessments and interventions during the study.
* Attend the first interview.

Exclusion Criteria

* Moderate to High risk of STBs as determined by the C-SSRS or baseline questionnaires.
* Current psychosis (as determined by brief psychosis screen).
* Current participation in another digital mental health intervention.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

Trustees of Dartmouth College

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Nicholas Jacobson

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Nicholas C Jacobson, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Center for Technology and Behavioral Health, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College

Locations

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46 Centerra Parkway, Suite 300, Office #333S

Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Michael V Heinz, MD

Role: CONTACT

(603) 277-9110

Amanda C Collins, Ph.D.

Role: CONTACT

Facility Contacts

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Nicholas C Jacobson, Ph.D.

Role: primary

8148630115

References

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Heinz, M. V., Mackin, D., Trudeau, B., Bhattacharya, S., Wang, Y., Banta, H. A., Jewett, A. D., Salzhauer, A., Griffin, T., & Jacobson, N. C. (2024). Evaluating Therabot: A Randomized Control Trial Investigating the Feasibility and Effectiveness of a Generative AI Therapy Chatbot for Depression, Anxiety, and Eating Disorder Symptom Treatment. OSF. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/pjqmr

Reference Type BACKGROUND

Collins AC, Bhattacharya S, Oh JY, Salzhauer A, Taylor CT, Wolitzky-Taylor K, Aupperle RL, Budney AJ, Jacobson NC. Inclusion of Individuals With Lived Experiences in the Development of a Digital Intervention for Co-Occurring Depression and Cannabis Use: Mixed Methods Investigation. JMIR Form Res. 2024 Oct 7;8:e54751. doi: 10.2196/54751.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 39374076 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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5P30DA029926-14

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

STUDY00033219

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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