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Strengthening digital support services for young people using artificial intelligence
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Description: This preregistration outlines a comprehensive research project aimed at exploring the use and experiences of communicative artificial intelligence (AI) in digital support services for young people. The project seeks to understand how communicative AI can enhance these services to improve young people's mental health, coping mechanisms, and overall quality of life. The research will be conducted through four interrelated studies: Study 1: How young people perceive responses (to mental health questions) generated by AI (ChatGPT) compared to responses generated from professional experts working at an digital support service (published in Norwegian January 2025 https://www.idunn.no/doi/10.18261/tfv.27.4.2) Study 2: How do both young people and professionals perceive AI-generated responses to mental health questions compared to those written by professionals Study 3: How do young people's perceptions of AI-generated responses (to mental health questions) differ when they are aware of the source of the responses versus when they are not Study 4: What are young people's usage patterns and experiences with AI tools such as ChatGPT and My AI? (an early version of this study was published available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4836120 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4836120 ) The project is motivated by the increasing demand for youth-oriented support services and the growing reliance on the internet and social media as primary sources of information, including mental health-related queries. However, the online landscape is fraught with inaccurate or unreliable information, and young people often face challenges in distinguishing credible sources from misleading ones. This project aims to enhance digital support services, such as the public governmental information site ung.no, by leveraging communicative AI tools like ChatGPT and My AI to provide faster, more accurate, and accessible information and support to young people. At the same time, the project will address potential risks and challenges associated with communicative AI, including misinformation and privacy concerns. The research will generate new insights into the benefits and risks of integrating communicative AI into digital support services. By examining the opportunities and limitations of this technology, the project aims to contribute to the development of effective strategies for improving young people's mental health, coping skills, and quality of life. Ultimately, the findings will support the creation of accessible and effective AI-driven services, which are essential for advancing health-promoting and preventive mental health initiatives. The project will collaborate with key stakeholders, including the public information service ung.no and other organizations working with youth. Data will be collected through three questionnaire surveys (using the same questionnaire), but with different samples. The questionnaire features both open-ended and fixed-response questions, targeting young people and professionals in digital support services. These methods will enable researchers to explore young people's experiences with communicative AI and identify best practices for professionals to use this technology safely and effectively. The project is hosted by Redd Barna (Save the Children Norway) and SINTEF, with additional collaboration from relevant stakeholders in the field of youth support and digital innovation.
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