Chatbot Innovation for Enhancing Stress Resilience based on Buddhist Psychology in Working-Aged People

Abstract

This research, titled “Chatbot Innovation for Enhancing Stress Resilience based on Buddhist Psychology in Working-Aged People,” aimed to: 1) develop and 2) evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative chatbot system, SabaiJai, designed to enhance stress resilience in working-aged individuals; 3) examine the impact of the stress resilience-enhancing intervention delivered via SabaiJai by comparing stress resilience levels between an experimental group using the chatbot and a control group without access to the intervention, both at pretest and posttest stages. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study included a literature review, expert interviews with mental health professionals (n=4) and Buddhist scholars (n=8), and a user needs assessment (n=100). SabaiJai, delivered via the LINE messaging platform, integrates psychoeducation, a 10-day structured intervention, and an AI-driven chat feature powered by GPT-4o. The chatbot uniquely blends Edith Grotberg’s resilience model (“I Have,” “I Am,” “I Can”) with the Five Spiritual Powers (pañcabala) from Buddhist teachings—faith (saddhā), effort (viriya), mindfulness (sati), concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (paññā).ii In a pilot test, 32 experimental participants showed a slight decrease in stress levels (mean reduction of 0.27 points on ST-5, p=0.07) and a slight increase in resilience (mean increase of 2.2 points on RQ, p=0.06) post-intervention, though these changes were not statistically significant (p<0.05). The control group (n=32) exhibited no meaningful changes (p=0.18 for stress, p=0.88 for resilience). User feedback (n=32) was overwhelmingly positive, with average ratings of 4.2 for efficiency, 4.0 for accuracy, and 4.1 for user-friendliness on a 5-point scale, reflecting strong engagement with the culturally adapted approach. While the intervention demonstrates potential, the lack of statistical significance suggests the need for larger sample sizes and further refinement. This study underscores the promise of AI-assisted, culturally sensitive digital interventions for mental health and provides a foundation for future research into scalable, contextspecific resilience tool.