{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,4]],"date-time":"2026-08-04T15:28:17Z","timestamp":1785857297714,"version":"3.56.0"},"update-to":[{"DOI":"10.12688\/f1000research.166372.1","type":"new_version","label":"New version","source":"publisher","updated":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,6]],"date-time":"2025-10-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759708800000}}],"reference-count":37,"publisher":"F1000 Research Ltd","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,6]],"date-time":"2025-10-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759708800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["f1000research.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["F1000Res"],"abstract":"<ns3:p>\n                    Background Barriers to mental-health care include limited resources and workforce, access constraints, and stigma. Artificial-intelligence (AI)\u2013enabled chatbots may offer low-threshold support. Methods Cross-sectional correlational (comparative) study in one private health-sciences university in the UAE. Proportional stratified random sampling across four colleges yielded\n                    <ns3:italic>n<\/ns3:italic>\n                    = 298 undergraduates. Instruments: (i) Socio-Demographic Questionnaire; (ii) researcher-developed AI Chatbot Usability questionnaire (content validated by a bilingual specialist); and (iii) Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21; established reliability\/validity). Questionnaires were administered face-to-face with standardized instructions. Results 206\/298 (69.1%) had ever used an AI chatbot; most used Snapchat AI (76.9%), followed by ChatGPT\/Bard (23.4% each). Overall, 57.0% had moderate-to-extremely-severe depression, 68.5% anxiety, and 33.6% stress. Users had higher odds of moderate-to-extremely-severe anxiety and depression than non-users. In multivariable models, higher depression (OR = 1.022; 95% CI 1.01\u20131.085;\n                    <ns3:italic>p<\/ns3:italic>\n                    &lt;0.001) and anxiety (OR = 1.05; 95% CI 1.01\u20131.21;\n                    <ns3:italic>p<\/ns3:italic>\n                    &lt;0.001) independently predicted chatbot use; stress did not. Conclusion Among UAE health-sciences students, AI-chatbot use is common and associated with higher depression\/anxiety severity; this likely reflects help-seeking rather than causation. Universities should integrate early, stigma-sensitive supports, potentially including regulated, evidence-based chatbot tools\u2014within stepped-care services.\n                  <\/ns3:p>","DOI":"10.12688\/f1000research.166372.2","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T09:35:07Z","timestamp":1760002507000},"page":"665","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.12688\/f1000research.crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical &amp; Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates \u2013 A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study"],"prefix":"10.12688","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2105-5073","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eman","family":"Abdelaziz Rashad Dabou","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fatma","family":"Magdi Ibrahim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mustafa","family":"Faisal Haimour","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Aya","family":"Saleh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Richard","family":"Mottershead","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2560","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e408-e413","DOI":"10.1016\/j.teln.2024.12.002","article-title":"AI in higher education: unveiling nursing students\u2019 perspectives on ChatGPT\u2019s challenges and opportunities.","volume":"20","author":"F Ahmed","year":"2025","journal-title":"Teach. Learn. Nurs."},{"key":"ref2","article-title":"Mental health in the Middle East Measuring progress towards integrated, accessible and equitable mental health.","author":"Al Habeeb","year":"2023","journal-title":"Economist Impact."},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1002","DOI":"10.3390\/bs13121002","article-title":"Depression and Anxiety among Undergraduate Health Science Students: A Scoping Review of the Literature.","volume":"13","author":"G Agyapong-Opoku","year":"2023","journal-title":"Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"689","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-023-04698-z","article-title":"Revolutionizing healthcare: the role of artificial intelligence in clinical practice.","volume":"23","author":"S Alowais","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Med. Educ."},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1303-1317","DOI":"10.1017\/S0033291713001943","article-title":"Barriers to mental health treatment: results from the WHO world mental health surveys.","volume":"44","author":"L Andrade","year":"2014","journal-title":"Psychol. Med."},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-024-06076-9","article-title":"Shaping the future: perspectives on the integration of artificial intelligence in health profession education: A multi-country survey.","volume":"24","author":"W Bani Issa","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Med. Educ."},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e188-e194","DOI":"10.7861\/fhj.2021-0095","article-title":"Artificial intelligence in healthcare: transforming the practice of medicine.","volume":"8","author":"J Bajwa","year":"2021","journal-title":"Future Healthc. J."},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"97-103","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2017.07.044","article-title":"Mental health problems in college freshmen: Prevalence and academic functioning.","volume":"225","author":"R Bruffaerts","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Affect. Disord."},{"key":"ref9","article-title":"Mental health Our World in Data.","author":"S Dattani","year":"2021"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"231-234","DOI":"10.1007\/s40596-019-01170-3","article-title":"Therapy and E-therapy\u2014Preparing future psychiatrists in the era of apps and chatbots.","volume":"44","author":"D Gratzer","year":"2020","journal-title":"Acad. Psychiatry."},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"178-184","DOI":"10.1016\/j.puhe.2020.06.014","article-title":"The prevalence of mental distress and association with social changes among postgraduate students in China: a cross-temporal meta-analysis.","volume":"186","author":"L Guo","year":"2020","journal-title":"Public Health."},{"key":"ref12","first-page":"184-197","article-title":"Humans\u2019 Emotional and Mental Well-Being under the Influence of Artificial Intelligence.","volume":"6","author":"D Gupta","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. ReAttach Therapy Develop. Diversit."},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e25063","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2024.e25063","article-title":"Prevalence of bullying and its impact on self-esteem, anxiety, and depression among medical and health sciences university students in RAS Al Khaimah, UAE.","volume":"10","author":"F Ibrahim","year":"2024","journal-title":"Heliyon."},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e20678","DOI":"10.2196\/20678","article-title":"Artificial Intelligence-Based Chatbot for Anxiety and Depression in University Students: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.","volume":"5","author":"M Klos","year":"2021","journal-title":"JMIR Form Res."},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1440-1461","DOI":"10.28991\/ESJ-2024-08-04-012","article-title":"Impact of Digital Transformation on Mental Healthcare: Opportunities, Challenges, and Role of AI Chat-bots in Symptom Management.","volume":"8","author":"B Lee","year":"2024","journal-title":"Emerg. Sci. J."},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1-27","DOI":"10.1145\/3392836","author":"Y Lee","year":"2020","journal-title":"Proc. ACM Hum.-Comput. Interact."},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"658-673","DOI":"10.1080\/08870446.2021.1871907","article-title":"Dimensionality, variance composition, development of a brief form of the Duke health profile, and its measurement invariance across five gender identity groups.","volume":"37","author":"R Levant","year":"2022","journal-title":"Psychol. Health."},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"885","DOI":"10.12688\/f1000research.70643.1","article-title":"Horticultural therapy, nutrition and post-traumatic stress disorder in post-military veterans: developing non-pharmaceutical interventions to complement existing therapeutic approaches [version 1; peer review: 3 approved].","volume":"10","author":"R Mottershead","year":"2021","journal-title":"F1000Res."},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"92","DOI":"10.12688\/f1000research.145255.1","article-title":"Salutogenesis: A sense of coherence and health among British military veterans exposed to impactful life challenges - the emergence of post-traumatic growth and positive deviance within a life-story approach [version 1; peer review: 4 approved].","volume":"13","author":"R Mottershead","year":"2024","journal-title":"F1000Res."},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"408-410","DOI":"10.1080\/08998280.2023.2187207","volume":"36","author":"M Nair","year":"2023, May","journal-title":"Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings."},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1177\/20552076241297055","article-title":"Integrating Metaverse in Psychiatry for Adolescent Care and Treatment (IMPACT).","volume":"10","author":"F Nawaz","year":"2024","journal-title":"DIGITAL HEALTH."},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"572-579","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apnu.2020.10.004","article-title":"Perceived barriers to providing spiritual care among psychiatric mental health nurses.","volume":"34","author":"M Neathery","year":"2020","journal-title":"Arch. Psychiatr. Nurs."},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"22215-22246","DOI":"10.1007\/s11042-021-11458-y","article-title":"A survey on providing customer and public administration-based services using AI: chatbot.","volume":"81","author":"K Nirala","year":"2022","journal-title":"Multimed. Tools Appl."},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"416-432","DOI":"10.1080\/0144929X.2020.1814412","article-title":"Can digital personal assistants persuade people to exercise?","volume":"41","author":"J Paay","year":"2022","journal-title":"Behav. Inform. Technol."},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"508-528","DOI":"10.1007\/s11469-019-00088-z","article-title":"Measurement and conceptualization of Gaming Disorder according to the World Health Organization framework: The development of the Gaming Disorder Test.","volume":"19","author":"H Pontes","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Ment. Heal. Addict."},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"326-332","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amepre.2021.08.032","article-title":"Association of poor mental-health days with COVID-19 infection rates in the US.","volume":"62","author":"Y Ransome","year":"2022","journal-title":"Am. J. Prev. Med."},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"523","DOI":"10.1186\/s12888-022-04174-w","article-title":"Prevalence of mental distress and associated factors among medical students of University of Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.","volume":"22","author":"G Rtbey","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC Psychiatry."},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"282-292","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2021.03.054","article-title":"Prevalence and risk factors for mental health problems in university undergraduate students: a systematic review with meta-analysis.","volume":"287","author":"E Sheldon","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Affect. Disord."},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-70554-5_36","author":"H Stuart","year":"2019","journal-title":"Advances in Psychiatry."},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2024.1268549","article-title":"AI Chatbots in Chinese Higher Education: Adoption, perception, and Influence among Graduate Students\u2014An Integrated Analysis utilizing UTAUT and ECM Models.","volume":"15","author":"W Tian","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e22653","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2023.e22653","article-title":"Healthcare students\u2019 knowledge, attitudes, and perspectives toward artificial intelligence in southern Vietnam.","volume":"9","author":"N Truong","year":"2023","journal-title":"Heliyon."},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"456-464","DOI":"10.1177\/0706743719828977","article-title":"Chatbots and conversational agents in mental health: a review of the psychiatric landscape.","volume":"64","author":"A Vaidyam","year":"2019","journal-title":"Can. J. Psychiatr."},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"231-256","DOI":"10.17763\/1943-5045-92.2.231","article-title":"Amazon and the new global connective architectures of education governance.","volume":"92","author":"B Williamson","year":"2022","journal-title":"Harv. Educ. Rev."},{"key":"ref35","article-title":"Dementia fact sheet.","year":"September 2017"},{"key":"ref36","article-title":"World mental health report: Transforming mental health for all.","year":"2022"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2615-2627","DOI":"10.1007\/s00787-023-02337-y","article-title":"COVID-19 pandemic impact on adolescent mental health: a reassessment accounting for development.","volume":"33","author":"N Wright","year":"2024","journal-title":"Eur. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry."},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1015-1027","DOI":"10.1080\/13548506.2019.1626453","article-title":"Depressive symptoms and quality of life among Chinese medical postgraduates: a national cross-sectional study.","volume":"24","author":"X Zhong","year":"2019","journal-title":"Psychol. Health Med."}],"container-title":["F1000Research"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-665\/v2\/xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-665\/v2\/pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-665\/v2\/iparadigms","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T09:35:10Z","timestamp":1760002510000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-665\/v2"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,6]]},"references-count":37,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.12688\/f1000research.166372.2","relation":{"has-version":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.12688\/f1000research.166372.1","asserted-by":"subject"}],"has-review":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.5256\/f1000research.188737.r420821","asserted-by":"subject"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.5256\/f1000research.188737.r420821","asserted-by":"object"}]},"ISSN":["2046-1402"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2046-1402","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,6]]},"assertion":[{"value":"Indexed","URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-665\/v2#article-reports","order":0,"name":"referee-status","label":"Referee status","group":{"name":"current-referee-status","label":"Current Referee Status"}},{"value":"10.5256\/f1000research.188737.r420821, Assisst .Prof Dr Iman Hussein Alwan, psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, University of Baghdad\/ College of Nursing, Baghdad, Baghdad Governorate, 07 Oct 2025, version 2, indexed","URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-665\/v2#referee-response-420821","order":0,"name":"referee-response-420821","label":"Referee Report","group":{"name":"article-reports","label":"Article Reports"}},{"value":"<b>Dr. Richard Mottershead<\/b>; \n<i>Posted: 07 Oct 2025<\/i>; On behalf of the research team, I would like to thank Dr. Iman for her valuable time and consideration for our article which we feel has been enhanced by her guidance and suggestions.&nbsp;  kindest regards&nbsp;  Dr. Richard Mottershead&nbsp;","URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-665\/v2#referee-comment-14734","order":1,"name":"referee-comment-14734","label":"Referee Comment","group":{"name":"article-reports","label":"Article Reports"}},{"value":"10.5256\/f1000research.183349.r399583, Professor David Taylor, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, 18 Aug 2025, version 1, 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations","URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-665\/v1#referee-response-399583","order":2,"name":"referee-response-399583","label":"Referee Report","group":{"name":"article-reports","label":"Article Reports"}},{"value":"<b>Dr. Richard Mottershead<\/b>; \n<i>Posted: 05 Sep 2025<\/i>; On behalf of the research team, I would like to thank you for the time and energy that you have obviously spent on this detailed and comprehensive review of our article. WE have thrived from your positivity and encouragement and it is obvious that you are only too aware of the importance in addressing and understanding students mental health needs within the MENA region. Our subsequent research will be enhanced by assimilating and acknowledging your suggestions and we are confident that our continuing research will be positively affected through your influence within this review.  Thank you \u2013 Dr. Richard Mottershead.&nbsp;","URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-665\/v2#referee-comment-14508","order":3,"name":"referee-comment-14508","label":"Referee Comment","group":{"name":"article-reports","label":"Article Reports"}},{"value":"The author(s) declared that no grants were involved in supporting this work","order":4,"name":"grant-information","label":"Grant Information"},{"value":"This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.","order":0,"name":"copyright-info","label":"Copyright"}]}}