Feasibility and Acceptability of a Conversational Agent (Chatbot) for Ambivalent Smokers: Results from a Proof-of-Concept Study

Most smoking cessation research targets individuals intending to quit smoking, leaving a research and practice gap for individuals not actively contemplating quitting. Chatbots are easy-to-use scalable platforms to deliver behavior change interventions. Our goal was to develop and test acceptability and feasibility of a chatbot for people who are ambivalent about quitting smoking. We completed two studies. In Study 1, n=309 people completed a cross-sectional survey that assessed user preferences for the proposed prototype using a discrete choice experiment. Three primary attributes were identified for the chatbot and programmed for user testing. In Study 2, n=20 participants engaged with the chatbot for a 2-week period. Participants reported a significant reduction in the strength of their strongest urge over the 14-day period (t=-3.32; p<.005). Our proof-of-concept chatbot prototype was acceptable and feasible. Next steps include refining our chatbot intervention prototype with enhanced participant-elicited preferences and efficacy testing in a larger-scale trial.