The Development of a Chatbot for Stress Reduction among Humanities and Social Sciences Students

Abstract

This study aimed to develop the "Nong Dok Kaew Heals Jai" chatbot to help reduce stress among students in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Burapha University. The objectives were to compare stress levels before and after using the chatbot and to examine the factors influencing student satisfaction with its use. The sample consisted of 42 students selected through purposive sampling. The research instruments included the stress reduction chatbot, the ST-5 stress assessment, and a satisfaction questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that the "Nong Dok Kaew Heals Jai" chatbot significantly reduced stress levels across several dimensions, including trustworthiness, expertise, responsiveness, ease of use, and emotional impacts-particularly in promoting positive feelings, enhancing confidence, and reducing psychological vigilance and perceived risks. Significant predictors of user satisfaction were expertise and capability, emotional and psychological well-being, and trustworthiness. These results support the further development of the chatbot, with an emphasis on improving responsiveness tailored to specific user groups. It is also recommended that future studies include to more diverse populations to evaluate effectiveness in broader contexts.