Preliminary evaluation of a conversational agent to support self-management of individuals living with PTSD: An interview study with clinical experts (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious public health concern. However, individuals with PTSD often do not have access to adequate treatment. A conversational agent (CA) can help to bridge the treatment gap by providing interactive and timely interventions at scale. Toward this goal, we have developed PTSDialogue — a CA to support the self-management of individuals living with PTSD. PTSDialogue is designed to be highly interactive (e.g., brief questions, ability to specify preferences, and quick turn-taking) and support social presence to promote user engagement and sustain adherence. It includes a range of support features, including psychoeducation, assessment tools, and several symptom management tools. OBJECTIVE This paper focuses on the preliminary evaluation of PTSDialogue from clinical experts. Given that PTSDialogue focuses on a vulnerable population, it is critical to establish its usability and acceptance with clinical experts before deployment. Expert feedback is also important to ensure user safety and effective risk management in CAs aiming to support individuals living with PTSD. METHODS We conducted semi-structured interviews with clinical experts (N=10) following their interactions with PTSDialogue. We analyzed interview data using a qualitative interpretivist approach resulting in a bottom-up thematic analysis. RESULTS Our data establish the feasibility and acceptance of using a CA to support self-management of individuals with PTSD. We have also assessed different features, functionalities, and interactions supported by PTSDialogue. We then used this data to identify design requirements and guidelines for a CA aiming to support individuals with PTSD. Experts specifically noted the importance of empathetic and tailored CA interactions for effective PTSD self-management. They also suggested steps to ensure safe and engaging interactions with PTSDialogue. CONCLUSIONS Based on interviews with experts, we have provided design recommendations for future CAs aiming to support vulnerable populations. The study suggests that well-designed CAs have the potential to reshape effective intervention delivery and help address the treatment gap in mental health.