Efficacy of interactive audio-based mindfulness ChatGPT-powered intervention on well-being

Author

• Xun Ci SOH, Singapore Management UniversityFollow

Publication Type

Master Thesis

Version

publishedVersion

Publication Date

6-2026

Abstract

Mindfulness has been widely recognised for its benefits to psychological well-being. However, both traditional mindfulness programmes and app-based mindfulness interventions face limitations, including long duration and passive forms of engagement that may reduce user adherence. Recent advancements in generative artificial intelligence, particularly ChatGPT, provide new opportunities to deliver interactive and personalised mindfulness interventions that may address these limitations. The present study examined the efficacy of an Interactive Mindfulness Breathing ChatGPT-Powered intervention on well-being outcomes. A total of 216 participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) an Interactive Mindfulness Breathing ChatGPT-Powered intervention, (2) an Interactive Mind Wandering ChatGPT-Powered control, or (3) a Mindfulness Breathing Audio control. Participants completed measures of stress, state anxiety, positive affect, negative affect, self-control capacity, and state mindfulness before and after a 15-minute intervention. Results showed that participants in the Interactive Mindfulness Breathing ChatGPT-Powered intervention demonstrated greater pre-to-post improvements in stress, anxiety, positive affect, negative affect, and self-control capacity than those in the Interactive Mind Wandering ChatGPT-Powered control condition but not state mindfulness. However, no significant differences were observed between the Interactive Mindfulness Breathing ChatGPT-Powered intervention and the Mindfulness Breathing Audio control condition across any of the outcomes. These findings suggest that while ChatGPT-powered mindfulness can improve well-being, it may not confer benefits beyond non-AI audio-guided mindfulness, indicating that AI incorporation may not always add value to existing digital interventions.

Keywords

mindfulness, efficacy, well-being, ChatGPT, chatbot, artificial intelligence

Degree Awarded

Master of Philosophy in Psychology

Discipline

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics | Mental and Social Health | Psychology

Supervisor(s)

LESTER SIM WEI XIANG,

First Page

1

Last Page

61

Publisher

Singapore Management University

City or Country

Singapore

Citation

SOH, Xun Ci. Efficacy of interactive audio-based mindfulness ChatGPT-powered intervention on well-being. (2026). 1-61.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/etd_coll/927

Copyright Owner and License

Author

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.