The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented changes in our daily lives, leaving many individuals feeling anxious, lonely, and depressed. Through extensive surveys and social media analyses, the researchers discovered the pandemic's significant impact on mental health. Fortunately, Expressive Writing and Motivational Interviewing have proven effective in improving mental and physical health. By encouraging individuals to put their emotional experiences into words, these strategies can provide a sense of agency and coherence in their thoughts and emotions.
To further explore the potential benefits of Expressive Writing and Motivational Interviewing, the researchers introduced a new interview-style dialogue paradigm called Expressive Interviewing. The system guides individuals to reflect on their thoughts and feelings during the pandemic, promoting introspection and self-expression to reduce stress and anxiety. The researchers present the system's design and implementation, as well as quantitative and qualitative analyses of user interactions, indicating its potential to help users cope with COVID-19 issues.
Read the research: Expressive Interviewing: A Conversational System for Coping with COVID-19
