Aurora: AI-Based Narrative Intervention to Support Emotional Well-Being in Clinical and Non-Clinical Populations

NCT07494110 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2025LLAV00080
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 55
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

Aurora is an interdisciplinary project evaluating a chatbot-mediated supportive care intervention designed to promote emotional expression, autobiographical meaning-making, identity processes, and emotional well-being through guided narrative reconstruction. The Aurora system provides a structured, person-centered storytelling process supported by generative AI and human facilitation. Under the supervision of a trained facilitator (licensed mental health professional), participants engage in guided reminiscence and storytelling sessions to co-create a personalized "life book." The chatbot is not a diagnostic or treatment tool; rather, it is intended to support emotional expression, narrative reconstruction, and recovery-oriented processes. The study includes three non-randomized arms implemented sequentially: (1) a single-session arm of healthy adults focused on acceptability, usability, and emotional safety; (2) a four-hour intervention arm of adults with DSM-5 diagnosed mental disorders in residential care; and (3) a four-hour intervention arm of healthy older adults aged 65 years and older. Quantitative outcomes assess affect, mental well-being, and recovery-related constructs. Additional measures include usability, satisfaction, and qualitative feedback. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is conducted in Arms 2 and 3.

Conditions

Institutionalization; Elderly; Mental Health; Wellbeing; Aging

Keywords

artificial intelligence; digital mental health; human-computer interaction; recovery; identity; autobiographical narrative; life story; reminiscence; wellbeing; storytelling; residential care; older adults; chatbot intervention; mental health

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Positive Affect (I-PANAS-SF - Positive Affect subscale-pre-post session change)

  Positive affect will be assessed using the Positive Affect (PA) subscale of the International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule - Short Form (I-PANAS-SF). Participants will rate their affect "right now." The endpoint is the change in PA from immediately before to immediately after each session across all treatment arms. Higher scores indicate higher positive affect.

  Change from immediately before to immediately after each session, up to 2 weeks.

• Negative Affect (I-PANAS-SF - Negative Affect subscale - pre-post session change)

  Negative affect will be assessed using the Negative Affect (NA) subscale of the International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule - Short Form (I-PANAS-SF). Participants will rate their affect "right now." The endpoint is the change in NA from immediately before to immediately after each session across all treatment arms. Higher scores indicate higher negative affect.

  Change from immediately before to immediately after each session, up to 2 weeks.

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Positive Affect (I-PANAS-SF - Positive Affect subscale - baseline to 1-week follow-up change)

  Change from baseline at 1 week after end of intervention.

• Negative Affect (I-PANAS-SF - baseline to 1-week follow-up change)

  Change from baseline at 1 week after end of intervention.

• Mental well-being (WEMWBS)

  Change from baseline at 1 week after end of intervention.

• Recovery-related outcomes aligned with CHIME framework

  Change from baseline at 1 week after end of intervention.

Other Outcomes (3)

• Usability (System Usability Scale, SUS)

  Immediately after session (Arm 1); 1 week after end of intervention (Arms 2 and 3)

• User experience and satisfaction

  Immediately after session (Arm 1); 1 week after end of intervention (Arms 2 and 3)

• Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA)

  Twice daily from 1 week before intervention to 1 week after end of intervention.

Study Arms (3)

Single-session - Healthy adults

EXPERIMENTAL

Healthy adults complete one Aurora session (single exposure) for platform refinement and usability assessment.

Behavioral: chatbot-mediated supportive care intervention

Four-hour program - Adults with DSM-5 diagnosed mental disorder in residential care

EXPERIMENTAL

Adults (aged ≥18 years) with a DSM-5 diagnosed mental disorder, residing in long-term mental health residential care facilities, complete a four-session guided narrative program over two weeks (two sessions per week, 1 hour per session) with facilitation by a licensed mental health professional.

Behavioral: chatbot-mediated supportive care intervention

Four-hour program - Healthy older adults (≥65 years)

EXPERIMENTAL

Healthy older adults (aged ≥65 years), with no self-reported diagnosis of a serious mental disorder, complete a two-session guided narrative program over two weeks (one session per week, 2 hours per session) with facilitation by a licensed mental health professional.

Behavioral: chatbot-mediated supportive care intervention

Interventions

chatbot-mediated supportive care intervention BEHAVIORAL

Aurora is a guided narrative reconstruction chatbot combining structured storytelling and reminiscence with an AI-based conversational system and support from a trained facilitator. Participants co-create a personalized life narrative ("life book") with written content and optional audio contributions (with explicit consent). Sessions occur in a secure professional environment and are supervised by licensed mental health professionals to ensure emotional safety. Aurora is not a diagnostic tool and is intended to promote emotional expression, recovery-oriented processes, and emotional well-being. The intervention is delivered in structured guided sessions. Arm 1 receives a single-session version for refinement and usability assessment, whereas Arms 2 and 3 receive a 4-hour intervention delivered over two weeks. The total intervention dose is equivalent across Arms 2 and 3. Session structure differs to accommodate participant characteristics.

Also known as: Aurora, Aurora AI-Assisted Narrative Reconstruction Chatbot

Four-hour program - Adults with DSM-5 diagnosed mental disorder in residential care; Four-hour program - Healthy older adults (≥65 years); Single-session - Healthy adults

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Arm 1: Healthy Adults (Single-Session Intervention)
• Age 18 years or older at screening.
• Sufficient ability to read and understand Spanish to follow study instructions and complete questionnaires.
• Ability to engage in a brief guided interaction and complete self-report measures.
• Able and willing to provide written informed consent.
• \---
• Arm 2: Adults with DSM-5 Diagnosed Mental Disorder in Residential Care (4-hour Intervention)
• Age 18 years or older at screening.
• Currently residing in a participating long-term mental health residential care facility and expected to remain there for the duration of the intervention and post-assessment period.
• Documented diagnosis of a mental disorder according to DSM-5 criteria, confirmed by the treating clinician.
• Minimal clinical stability at baseline, defined as all of the following:
• Clinically stable in the judgment of the treating clinician.
• No requirement for acute psychiatric hospitalization or crisis intervention in the previous 4 weeks.
• Clinical Global Impression - Improvement (CGI-I) score between 3 and 5 inclusive during the 4 weeks prior to enrollment, indicating relative clinical stability.
• Sufficient ability to understand spoken and written Spanish to participate in study procedures.

You may not qualify if:

• Arm 1: Healthy Adults
• Current acute medical or psychiatric condition that would compromise safe participation or data validity.
• Moderate or high acute suicide or self-harm risk at screening.
• Significant cognitive, communication, or comprehension impairment that would interfere with participation.
• Explicit refusal to participate.
• \---
• Arm 2: Adults with DSM-5 Diagnosed Mental Disorder in Residential Care
• Current acute psychiatric decompensation requiring crisis-level care.
• Moderate or high acute suicide or self-harm risk at screening or baseline.
• High risk of clinically significant emotional harm from autobiographical life review, defined as treating clinician judgment that narrative or reminiscence work is contraindicated due to one or more of the following:
• Severe clinical destabilization within the past 3 months.
• Trauma-related re-experiencing symptoms.
• Marked dissociative symptoms.
• Inability to provide informed consent, with no legal representative available when required, or lack of participant assent when applicable.
• Significant cognitive, communication, or comprehension impairment without available supports.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona: lead
• Grup ATRA: collaborator
• AGAUR: collaborator
• Institut Municipal de Persones amb Discapacitat: collaborator
• Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu: collaborator
• Universitat Oberta de Catalunya: collaborator

Study Sites (2)

Llar Residència Gràcia(Grup ATRA)

Barcelona, Barcelona, 08012, Spain

NOT YET RECRUITING

Department of Clinical and Health Psychology; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, 08193, Spain

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Psychological Well-Being

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Personal Satisfaction; Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Albert Feliu-Soler Associate Professor Serra Húnter Fellow, PhD

CONTACT

+34935812778; albert.feliu@uab.cat

Jaime Navarrete Postdoctoral Researcher, PhD

CONTACT

+34 936 615 208; jaime.navarrete@sjd.es

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor - Serra Húnter Fellow

Model Details: Non-randomized parallel assignment with sequential implementation of three study arms.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 18, 2025
• First Posted: March 27, 2026
• Study Start: February 12, 2026
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2026
• Study Completion: April 1, 2026
• Last Updated: March 27, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

ES (2)