JGP: September Update

September was eventful. On the development side, I created a prototype of Li early in the month to test whether delivering CBT self-help treatments through a chatbot is a viable option. A large chunk of the month was spent testing and adjusting Li’s backend instructions in python to make the “Cognitive Restructuring” (CR) exercise as user-friendly as possible. This was by far the most challenging part of the project because (without getting into too much detail) although CR can be administered as a self-help exercise, CR must be conducted in a specific way for the user to see results. This is why normally a therapist would guide a client through the exercise at least once. I eventually created a chat script for CR that is reasonably usable for first timers.

After completing a rough prototype, I spent time learning HTML, CSS, Java, and Django because I wanted to deploy my chatbot on a website to make testing more accessible in the future. It was quite a big challenge that wouldn’t have been possible if not for Rejoan Ahmed. With his help, the website was up and running by the end of September.

Feedback from user testing indicated that Li is slightly more empathetic compared to current CBT-based chatbots on the market. However, users reported that conversing with Li did not yield any significant solutions to their problems or insightful feedback, also the conversations feel very “robotic”. I will continue to adjust the chat script so users can get better solutions to their mental health issues.

Another solution to this problem could be to develop Li to solve a specific type of problem, such as relationship troubles. The inherent problem with a general, one-size-fits-all CBT exercise approach is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution in mental health care.

Currently, the bot is intended for ALL types of problems (family issues, relationship problems, self-confidence etc.). Perhaps focusing on one specific type of problem, like relationship troubles, can allow the bot to produce more insightful suggestions. I would be able to program the bot to distinguish nuances within the category of relationship issues and offer more constructive suggestions specific to the user’s situation. I will explore this approach in the coming weeks.

Regarding life outside this project, the documentary has begun filming and I had my first shoot last week. Can’t wait to see what the product looks like! Other than that, for the first time in my life I ran 16 km and my pace improved from 6:21/km to 5:41/km! Almost ready to run Standard Charter’s half marathon in December!