Behavior, HealthNCT05794308
A Relational Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chatbot for App-Based Physical Activity Promotion
A study testing Non-Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention and Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention in people with Behavior, Health, run by University of California, Davis at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study aims to empirically test the theoretical mechanisms of relational perceptions in the context of building and testing a relational artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot for improving physical activity (PA) behaviors among a sedentary adult population in the U.S. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Behavior, Health
- What is being tested?
- Non-Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention and Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 140 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 5 Apr 2023to 1 Dec 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Living in the United States
- Adults (18 years or older)
- Able to speak and read English
- Physically inactive at work and/or during leisure time
- Having internet access to use the chatbot
- Smartphone users
Who cannot join
- Adults unable to consent
- Individuals who are not yet adults (infants, children, teenagers)
- Prisoners
- Pregnant women
- Physically active individuals who are meeting physical activity guidelines
- Individuals who have participated in a physical activity intervention in the past 12 months
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of California, Davis
Davis, California, 95616
About this study
Official title: A Relational Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chatbot for App-Based Physical Activity Promotion Intervention Among Adults With a Sedentary Lifestyle
This study aims to empirically test the theoretical mechanisms of relational perceptions in the context of building and testing a relational artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot for improving physical activity (PA) behaviors among a sedentary adult population in the U.S.
The aim of the study is to build and experimentally test relational capacities of AI chatbot in inducing positive human-AI relationship and leading to higher PA behavior change intention. During the 7-day intervention, the relational chatbot will educate participants on physical activity using 5 types of relational messages during a PA intervention including 1) social dialogue, 2) empathy, 3) self-disclosure, 4) meta-relational communication, and 5) humor. On the other hand, the non-relational chatbot will only deliver PA intervention messages, without relational cues. Relational chatbot condition will be compared to the non-relational chatbot condition to assess its effectiveness.
The objective of this study is to test the efficacy of the mobile app intervention leveraging chatbots in increasing participants' relationship perception and physical activity behavior change.
Read the detailed description
Despite the recognition of the importance of communication for relationship and trust building in healthcare programs (Ward, 2018), theoretical work and empirical testing of relational capacities in AI chatbot designed for changing health behaviors is lacking in previous research. In our systematic review of AI chatbot-based interventions on PA, diet, and weight loss outcomes, it was found that although majority of studies programmed AI chatbots to engage in relational communication behaviors (e.g., personalized greetings, showing empathy and compassion), none of these studies tested whether AI chatbot's relational capacities contributed to human-AI trust and relationship building (Oh et al., 2021). Beyond knowing some chatbots were perceived to be useful and friendly, we do not know theoretical mechanisms for what relational conversational strategies contribute to higher quality relationship perception and behavior outcomes.
By developing an AI chatbot that provides access to informational, motivational, and socio-emotional aspects of care will open new opportunities for delivering accessible interventions to improve sedentary population's PA behaviors. More broadly, the test of the AI Chatbot Behavior Change Model (Zhang et al., 2020) will provide the first empirical evidence on the model's utility and working mechanisms accounting for how relational AI chatbot can change health behaviors. If successful, the theoretical model and design of the relational chatbot will be able to generalize to related behavior change fields.
This field experiment will randomly assign participants to relational chatbot condition or non-relational (control) chatbot condition. Both conditions will involve an information component addressing physical activity education sessions.
The objective of this study is to test the efficacy of the mobile app intervention leveraging chatbots in increasing participants' relationship perception and physical activity behavior change.
- Conditions
- Behavior, Health
- Being tested
- Non-Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention, Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention
- Medical subject headings
- Health Behavior
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Non-Relational Chatbot Physical Activity InterventionBehavioural
Mobile app-based intervention. Participants will engage in a daily chat with a physical activity promotion chatbot. The chatbot does not, or only minimally, provide relational behavioral cues. Participants will view their progress of daily step counts.
Relational Chatbot Physical Activity InterventionBehavioural
Mobile app-based intervention. Participants will engage in a daily chat with a physical activity promotion chatbot. The chatbot provides relational behavioral cues. Participants will view their progress of daily step counts.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention | Active comparator | Participants are randomly assigned to a non-relational chatbot in a mobile app. The chatbot will provide physical activity education sessions. The chatbot will not engage in relational conversation behaviors. Receives: Behavioral: Non-Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention |
| Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention | Experimental | Participants are randomly assigned to a relational chatbot in a mobile app. The chatbot will provide physical activity education sessions. The chatbot will engage in relational conversation behaviors. Receives: Behavioral: Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Relationship perception
12-item measure based on Therapeutic Alliance Scale as an indication of relationship between participants and the chatbot. Ranges from 1 = "strongly disagree" to 5 = "strongly agree."
Measured: 1 week
Changes in physical activity behavior
6-item measure based on 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Record the types of physical activities, days, and minutes.
Measured: Baseline and 1 week
Physical activity behavior (step counts)
Step counts across 7 days (1 week) of intervention.
Measured: Daily, 1 week
Secondary outcomes (2)
Chatbot usability
13-item measure of usability of the chatbot based on chatbot usability questionnaire (CUQ). Ranges from 1 = "strongly disagree" to 5 = "strongly agree."
Measured: 1 week
Chatbot perception
17-item measure of the perceived warmth and competence of the chatbot. Ranges from 1 = "strongly disagree" to 5 = "strongly agree."
Measured: 1 week
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 Apr 2023
- Study start5 Apr 2023
- Primary completion1 Oct 2024 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Dec 2024 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Behavior, HealthStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 140 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, Davis
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05794308
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2033031
- Status last verified
- Sep 2023
- First submitted
- 20 Mar 2023
- Last updated
- 13 Sep 2023
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be shared with other researchers.
Publications
Oh YJ, Liang KH, Kim DD, Zhang X, Yu Z, Fukuoka Y, Zhang J. Enhancing physical activity through a relational artificial intelligence chatbot: A feasibility and usability study. Digit Health. 2025 Mar 3;11:20552076251324445. doi: 10.1177/20552076251324445. eCollection 2025 Jan-Dec.
PubMed 40041394
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Sep 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Relational Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chatbot for App-Based Physical Activity Promotion Intervention Among Adults With a Sedentary Lifestyle
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05794308
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2033031
- Conditions
- Behavior, Health
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Unknown status
- Enrolment
- 140 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, DavisUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 5 Apr 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Oct 2024 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Dec 2024 (estimated)
- First posted
- 3 Apr 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to empirically test the theoretical mechanisms of relational perceptions in the context of building and testing a relational artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot for improving physical activity (PA) behaviors among a sedentary adult population in the U.S.
The aim of the study is to build and experimentally test relational capacities of AI chatbot in inducing positive human-AI relationship and leading to higher PA behavior change intention. During the 7-day intervention, the relational chatbot will educate participants on physical activity using 5 types of relational messages during a PA intervention including 1) social dialogue, 2) empathy, 3) self-disclosure, 4) meta-relational communication, and 5) humor. On the other hand, the non-relational chatbot will only deliver PA intervention messages, without relational cues. Relational chatbot condition will be compared to the non-relational chatbot condition to assess its effectiveness.
The objective of this study is to test the efficacy of the mobile app intervention leveraging chatbots in increasing participants' relationship perception and physical activity behavior change.
Detailed description
Despite the recognition of the importance of communication for relationship and trust building in healthcare programs (Ward, 2018), theoretical work and empirical testing of relational capacities in AI chatbot designed for changing health behaviors is lacking in previous research. In our systematic review of AI chatbot-based interventions on PA, diet, and weight loss outcomes, it was found that although majority of studies programmed AI chatbots to engage in relational communication behaviors (e.g., personalized greetings, showing empathy and compassion), none of these studies tested whether AI chatbot's relational capacities contributed to human-AI trust and relationship building (Oh et al., 2021). Beyond knowing some chatbots were perceived to be useful and friendly, we do not know theoretical mechanisms for what relational conversational strategies contribute to higher quality relationship perception and behavior outcomes.
By developing an AI chatbot that provides access to informational, motivational, and socio-emotional aspects of care will open new opportunities for delivering accessible interventions to improve sedentary population's PA behaviors. More broadly, the test of the AI Chatbot Behavior Change Model (Zhang et al., 2020) will provide the first empirical evidence on the model's utility and working mechanisms accounting for how relational AI chatbot can change health behaviors. If successful, the theoretical model and design of the relational chatbot will be able to generalize to related behavior change fields.
This field experiment will randomly assign participants to relational chatbot condition or non-relational (control) chatbot condition. Both conditions will involve an information component addressing physical activity education sessions.
The objective of this study is to test the efficacy of the mobile app intervention leveraging chatbots in increasing participants' relationship perception and physical activity behavior change.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention | Active comparator | Behavioral: Non-Relational Chatbot Physical Activity InterventionParticipants are randomly assigned to a non-relational chatbot in a mobile app. The chatbot will provide physical activity education sessions. The chatbot will not engage in relational conversation behaviors. |
| Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: Relational Chatbot Physical Activity InterventionParticipants are randomly assigned to a relational chatbot in a mobile app. The chatbot will provide physical activity education sessions. The chatbot will engage in relational conversation behaviors. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Living in the United States
- Adults (18 years or older)
- Able to speak and read English
- Physically inactive at work and/or during leisure time
- Having internet access to use the chatbot
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Adults unable to consent
- Individuals who are not yet adults (infants, children, teenagers)
- Prisoners
- Pregnant women
- Physically active individuals who are meeting physical activity guidelines
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Relational Chatbot Physical Activity InterventionMobile app-based intervention. Participants will engage in a daily chat with a physical activity promotion chatbot. The chatbot does not, or only minimally, provide relational behavioral cues. Participants will view their progress of daily step counts. | Behavioural | Non-Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention |
| Relational Chatbot Physical Activity InterventionMobile app-based intervention. Participants will engage in a daily chat with a physical activity promotion chatbot. The chatbot provides relational behavioral cues. Participants will view their progress of daily step counts. | Behavioural | Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention |
Primary outcome
Relationship perception
Time frame: 1 week
12-item measure based on Therapeutic Alliance Scale as an indication of relationship between participants and the chatbot. Ranges from 1 = "strongly disagree" to 5 = "strongly agree."
Changes in physical activity behavior
Time frame: Baseline and 1 week
6-item measure based on 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Record the types of physical activities, days, and minutes.
Physical activity behavior (step counts)
Time frame: Daily, 1 week
Step counts across 7 days (1 week) of intervention.
2 secondary outcomes
Chatbot usability
Time frame: 1 week
Chatbot perception
Time frame: 1 week
Results and safety
Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 Sep 2023.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 40041394Oh YJ, Liang KH, Kim DD, Zhang X, Yu Z, Fukuoka Y, Zhang J. Enhancing physical activity through a relational artificial intelligence chatbot: A feasibility and usability study. Digit Health. 2025 Mar 3;11:20552076251324445. doi: 10.1177/20552076251324445. eCollection 2025 Jan-Dec.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will not be shared with other researchers.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Non-Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention and Relational Chatbot Physical Activity Intervention in people with Behavior, Health, run by University of California, Davis at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Sep 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Relationship perception (time frame: 1 week). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05794308, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Sep 2023.