Guiding Adolescents’ Appropriate Use of AI for Emotional Support

Last registered on April 14, 2026
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Guiding Adolescents’ Appropriate Use of AI for Emotional Support
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0018342
Initial registration date
April 11, 2026

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
April 14, 2026, 9:09 AM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name
Yican Liu
Affiliation
The University of Hong Kong
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Junyou Chen
PI Affiliation
The University of Hong Kong
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PI Name
Jingyuan Hu
PI Affiliation
Paul Merage School of Business, the University of California, Irvine
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Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2026-04-01
End date
2027-12-31
Keywords
Behavior, Education, Health
Additional Keywords
Artificial intelligence, Emotional Support
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
In a field experiment, we teach students how to use artificial intelligence to address mental health challenges. We provide structured educational guidance about how to use AI for emotional support and track their behaviors, sentiments, and academic outcomes over several months.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Chen, Junyou , Jingyuan Hu and Yican Liu. 2026. "Guiding Adolescents’ Appropriate Use of AI for Emotional Support." AEA RCT Registry. April 14. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.18342-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention Start Date
2026-04-01
Intervention End Date
2027-12-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Students self-reported emotional changes/feelings, and educational outcomes such as grades.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We teach students how to use AI for emotional support. We track their behaviours for several months.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomisation done in office by a computer.
Randomization Unit
Student.
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
4 classes.
Sample size: planned number of observations
500 students.
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
200 students control, 300 students treatment.
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
The University of Hong Kong Human Research Ethics
IRB Approval Date
2026-03-23
IRB Approval Number
23-03-2026
Analysis Plan