Hong Kong’s Chinese University launches AI chatbot to provide mental health support amid rising demand for counselling services

“We do have psychological support services available for students. However, despite these efforts, we have observed an increasing trend in recent years where some students experience severe mental health issues, including [thoughts of] suicide,” she noted.

The chatbot is in: Could AI-powered mental health apps and platforms help Hongkongers?

Lam’s team observed that not only has the number of students seeking counselling increased, but the complexity of their concerns has also intensified.

“They rarely come with a single issue. Instead, they may have a combination of mental health problems related to academic difficulties, relationship issues with family or peers, and struggles in personal growth and career.”

The Jockey Club TourHeart+ chatbot, now available on the app store, offers free online therapy in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English for those pursuing tertiary education. It evaluates users’ psychological well-being and recommends appropriate interventions and support.

Lam believed the Jockey Club TourHeart+ project would support the university’s counselling centre. For example, the online platform can assist in streamlining and rapidly assessing students’ situations before offering face-to-face counselling, especially during critical times.

“There are specific times during the semester, such as midterm, when students face higher academic stress and seek help more frequently. This creates a peak demand period, particularly in March and April, as well as during the upcoming May exams. We may not have sufficient resources to meet demand during those times.”

The new platform will last four years and is expected to benefit 65,000 new users. Currently, the University of Hong Kong (HKU), Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), and Tung Wah College have joined the programme, agreeing to promote the app to students on their campuses.

Winnie Mak, the principal investigator of the Jockey Club TourHeart+ Project and a professor in the department of psychology at CUHK, explained how the widespread use of AI and ChatGPT could be leveraged to expand the platform’s services to a more extensive user base.

80% of Hong Kong secondary students uncertain about future; university researchers’ survey finds a fifth ‘lying flat’

“With ChatGPT’s popularity, we can see how AI can make this system [more] accessible,” she said, adding that the chatbot can serve as a virtual assistant, offering users immediate responses and resources.

Mak said CUHK plans to conduct research in the upcoming year comparing an AI-enhanced chatbot with human interaction.

“We aim to explore the differences and identify any distinctions between the two approaches ... This method has the potential to save significant time in the treatment process.”

A recent CUHK study on youth mental health between 2019 and 2023 found that 3.9 per cent of respondents had thought about suicide over the last year, while another 1.9 per cent planned suicide and 1.1 per cent attempted it.

Despite these concerning figures, the capacity of counselling services at local universities is largely inadequate, with a counsellor-to-student ratio as low as 1:1,674 for some institutions.

Winnie Li, a senior clinical psychologist at the Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS) at HKU, said the platform could serve as a mental health tool for HKU students. “We want them to understand that mental health services do not have to be monotonous or exclusively one-on-one. They can explore different approaches to self-care, such as utilising online resources,” she said.

“Our goal is to provide services to our students and extend these resources to the public. We want to increase their awareness towards mental health and equip individuals with self-care methods.”

Hong Kong programme to give professional aid to students at high risk of suicide extended until the end of the year

Lam added that non-local students often seek help from the university due to difficulties adapting to university life.

Considering that the number of non-local students is expected to increase in the future, Lam said that CUHK is collaborating with different units to provide mental health services, career planning, academic guidance, and intercultural activities to help them integrate.

Larry Auyeung, a senior lecturer at Tung Wah College, also noted that the project could benefit mainland students studying in Hong Kong who are struggling with emotional issues.

“In the future, we hope it will be possible to utilise AI or other rule-based tools to identify if they have specific challenges such as acculturation or loneliness. This way, we can identify and address their unique problems effectively.”

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, help is available: dial 18111 for the Mental Health Support Hotline, 2896-0000 for The Samaritans, or 2382-0000 for Suicide Prevention Services.