New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical & Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study

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Artificial intelligence-enabled technologies are emerging as a promising solution for longstanding difficulties, most notably is mobile-based therapy chatbots. Methods This is a quantitative, descriptive comparative research design aimed to identify the relationship between the utilization of the Artificial Intelligence Chabot, Stress, Anxiety, and Depression levels among Health Sciences University Students at a University within the United Arab Emirates. The sample was recruited from four health sciences Colleges by using Stratified random sampling technique (n= 298). Results Three tools were used for the data collection and the result revealed that a total of 206 participants (69.1%) reported having interacted with an AI chatbot, with the most used applications being Snapchat (76.9%), followed by ChatGPT and Bard (23.4% each). 40% of the participants reported that the chatbots understood them well, while 16% found that the chatbots helped to reduce their stress. Participants who used the AI chatbot were significantly more likely to suffer from moderate to extremely severe depression (63.5%) compared to those who had not used AI chatbots (36.7%, p<0.001). The multivariate regression analysis indicated that higher levels of depression (OR=1.022, 95% CI: 1.01-1.085, p<0.001) and anxiety (OR=1.05, 95% CI: 1.01-1.21, p<0.001) were strong predictors of increased AI chatbot usage. Conclusion Stress levels did not significantly predict AI chatbot usage. It is recommended that early intervention and support including university student counselling can significantly alleviate the burden of mental health issues and contribute to the overall well-being and academic success of students. AI chatbots in mental health care present a promising adjunct to nursing interventions; nonetheless, their implementation must be meticulously regulated to guarantee safe and practical assistance akin to the regulatory rigor imposed on registered healthcare practitioners. " } { "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": "1", "item": { "@id": "https://f1000research.com/", "name": "Home" } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": "2", "item": { "@id": "https://f1000research.com/browse/articles", "name": "Browse" } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": "3", "item": { "@id": "https://f1000research.com/articles/14-665/v1", "name": "New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being..." } } ] } Home Browse New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being... ALL Metrics - Views Downloads Get PDF Get XML Cite How to cite this article Abdelaziz Rashad Dabou E, Magdi Ibrahim F, Faisal Haimour M et al. New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical & Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations] . F1000Research 2025, 14 :665 ( https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.166372.1 ) NOTE: If applicable, it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in all citations of this article. Close Copy Citation Details Export Export Citation Sciwheel EndNote Ref. Manager Bibtex ProCite Sente EXPORT Select a format first Track Share ▬ ✚ Research Article New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical & Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations] Eman Abdelaziz Rashad Dabou https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2105-5073 1,2 , Fatma Magdi Ibrahim 1,3 , Mustafa Faisal Haimour 1 , Aya Saleh 1 , Richard Mottershead https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0048-0553 4,5 Eman Abdelaziz Rashad Dabou https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2105-5073 1,2 , Fatma Magdi Ibrahim 1,3 , [...] Mustafa Faisal Haimour 1 , Aya Saleh 1 , Richard Mottershead https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0048-0553 4,5 PUBLISHED 07 Jul 2025 Author details Author details 1 RAK College of Nursing,, Ras Al Khaimah Medical and Health Sciences University, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates 2 Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt 3 Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt 4 Faculty of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 5 College of Nursing, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq Eman Abdelaziz Rashad Dabou Roles: Formal Analysis, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing Fatma Magdi Ibrahim Roles: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing Mustafa Faisal Haimour Roles: Data Curation Aya Saleh Roles: Data Curation Richard Mottershead Roles: Formal Analysis, Validation, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing OPEN PEER REVIEW DETAILS REVIEWER STATUS This article is included in the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning gateway. This article is included in the Innovations and best practices in undergraduate education collection. Abstract Background The primary barriers to effective and comprehensive treatment of mental disorders are insufficient resources and competent health and medical personnel, alongside social discrimination, stigma, and marginalization. Artificial intelligence-enabled technologies are emerging as a promising solution for longstanding difficulties, most notably is mobile-based therapy chatbots. Methods This is a quantitative, descriptive comparative research design aimed to identify the relationship between the utilization of the Artificial Intelligence Chabot, Stress, Anxiety, and Depression levels among Health Sciences University Students at a University within the United Arab Emirates. The sample was recruited from four health sciences Colleges by using Stratified random sampling technique (n= 298). Results Three tools were used for the data collection and the result revealed that a total of 206 participants (69.1%) reported having interacted with an AI chatbot, with the most used applications being Snapchat (76.9%), followed by ChatGPT and Bard (23.4% each). 40% of the participants reported that the chatbots understood them well, while 16% found that the chatbots helped to reduce their stress. Participants who used the AI chatbot were significantly more likely to suffer from moderate to extremely severe depression (63.5%) compared to those who had not used AI chatbots (36.7%, p<0.001). The multivariate regression analysis indicated that higher levels of depression (OR=1.022, 95% CI: 1.01-1.085, p<0.001) and anxiety (OR=1.05, 95% CI: 1.01-1.21, p<0.001) were strong predictors of increased AI chatbot usage. Conclusion Stress levels did not significantly predict AI chatbot usage. It is recommended that early intervention and support including university student counselling can significantly alleviate the burden of mental health issues and contribute to the overall well-being and academic success of students. AI chatbots in mental health care present a promising adjunct to nursing interventions; nonetheless, their implementation must be meticulously regulated to guarantee safe and practical assistance akin to the regulatory rigor imposed on registered healthcare practitioners. READ ALL READ LESS Keywords Artificial Intelligence, Chatbot, Students, Mental Health & Well-Being Corresponding Author(s) Richard Mottershead ( [email protected] ) Close Corresponding author: Richard Mottershead Competing interests: No competing interests were disclosed. Grant information: The author(s) declared that no grants were involved in supporting this work. Copyright: © 2025 Abdelaziz Rashad Dabou E et al . This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. How to cite: Abdelaziz Rashad Dabou E, Magdi Ibrahim F, Faisal Haimour M et al. New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical & Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations] . F1000Research 2025, 14 :665 ( https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.166372.1 ) First published: 07 Jul 2025, 14 :665 ( https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.166372.1 ) Latest published: 06 Oct 2025, 14 :665 ( https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.166372.2 )  There is a newer version of this article available. Suppress this message for one day. Introduction The global mental health care system is currently facing significant challenges and a need to explore new treatment approaches inclusive of digital healthcare strategies. The World Health Organization states that one in four individuals may experience mental illness at some stage in their lives ( Pontes et al., 2021 ). With growing concerns of an increase in the vulnerability of adolescent mental health post-COVID 19 pandemic by Wright et al., (2024) there is a pressing need to identify new modes of treatment accessible and familiar with this generation. Indeed, the World Health Organisation ( WHO, 2017 ) explains that an overreliance of hospital-based care has the potential to create barriers which consequently may impact the identification and recovery from mental illness. The authors seek to expand the knowledge base around AI chatbot use within the Middle East due to a growing need for comparative analyse with global studies. The authors highlight the research of Dattani (2021) that reports that mental health conditions in the Middle East have remained relatively consistent over the past two decades. Albeit, that mental health conditions are increasing as a share of the total disease burden. Worryingly, research by Al Habeeb et al. (2023) states that the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region forms the global concentration for the proportion of mental health disorders as a disproportional share of the total disease burden. In support Dattani (2021) explains that in Kuwait, Jordan, Oman, and Qatar the percentage of reported mental health conditions as a share of the total disease burden is more than double the global average of 5%. The study’s authors articulate that the post-COVID-19 era has necessitated a need for healthcare leaders to continue to examine new innovative strategies inclusive of AI for a population with a lived experience of a global humanitarian crisis. Al Habeeb et al. (2023) supports this opinion in that adolescents are at risk of mental illness and with a higher burden of noncommunicable diseases. Indeed, mental disorders remain the primary source of health-related economic distress globally ( Ransome et al., 2022 ). Depression and anxiety are the predominant causes, impacting around 322 million (depression) and 264 million (anxiety) individuals worldwide ( Levant et al., 2022 ). The primary barriers to effective and comprehensive treatment are insufficient resources and competent medical personnel, alongside social discrimination, stigma, and marginalization. However, there is a beacon of hope. Information technology tools, particularly AI-enabled technologies, are emerging as a promising solution for longstanding difficulties such as societal stigma. These technologies are expected to provide more accessible, cost-effective, and potentially fewer stigmatizing alternatives to traditional mental health treatment models ( Williamson et al., 2022 ). It is theorized that by reducing the stigma associated with mental health, AI has potential for paving the way for a more supportive and encouraging environment for those in need and those whose preference maybe digital health themed. The author’s aim was to conduct research that expands the knowledge of AI chatbot use to support mental well-being within the Middle East and specifically in the United Arab Emirates. Background Artificial intelligence (AI) has had a significant impact on our daily lives. Gupta et al. (2023) explains that the causality of these enhancements is due to the advancement of artificial intelligence in recent years. Conversational agents, or chatbots, are software systems featuring a conversational user interface. They can be classified as open-domain if they engage with users on any topic or task-specific if they assist with a particular activity. The subsequent ideas are fundamental to chatbot technology. Chatbots are AI-driven software systems capable of engaging in natural language communication with individuals through text or voice interactions ( Lee et al., 2024 ; Paay et al., 2022 ). This technology has continuously evolved and is presently employed in digital assistants like Apple’s Siri, Yandex’s Alice, Amazon’s Alexa, and other virtual assistants, in addition to consumer interfaces in electronic commerce and online banking ( Nirala et al., 2022 ). Depression, anxiety, and stress are prevalent among university students and impact the lives of many within their academic journey, and can lead to poor academic performance, unhealthy interpersonal relationships ( Lee et al., 2020 ), and sadly, a low quality of life ( Zhong et al., 2019 ). Mobile-based therapy chatbots are increasingly being used to help young adults who suffer from depression ( Guo et al., 2020 ; Sheldon et al., 2021 ). As more and more people are interacting with computers, Chabot is becoming increasingly popular. Major tech firms including Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Apple, have all released “personal digital assistants” or “smart speakers” that serve as platforms for chatbots (also known as voicebots) in 2016, which has been dubbed “The rise of the Chabot”. When compared to more traditional means of human-computer connection, chatting with a Chabot is likely to feel more natural and intuitive because it mimics human contact. As Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has advanced rapidly over the past decade, more and more publications have begun to acknowledge AI’s importance in Internet-based Psychological Interventions. Gratzer and Goldbloom (2020) and Vaidyam et al. (2019) found that AI chatbots can more closely mimic human therapists. Even though most universities offer free therapy for students, many students refuse to seek help when they are suffering from mental health issues due to the reason of low perceived need ( Andrade et al., 2014 ), attitude barriers ( Andrade et al., 2014 ; Neathery et al., 2020 ), and the lack of mental health education ( Neathery et al., 2020 ). Chabot could be a scalable solution that provides an interactive means of engaging users in behavioral health interventions driven by artificial intelligence. Although some Chabot platforms have shown promising early efficacy results, there is limited information about how people utilize these systems. Understanding the usage patterns of a Chabot for depression, anxiety, and stress among medical and health sciences students represents a crucial step towards improving Chabot’s design and providing information about Chabot’s strengths and limitations. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the relationship between the utilization of the Artificial Intelligence Chabot and Stress, Anxiety, and Depression levels among Medical and Health Sciences University Students within the United Arab Emirates. Research questions RQ1. What are the frequencies of using the Chabot among medical and health sciences university students? RQ2. What are the reasons for the usage of AI Chabot to cope with depression, anxiety, and stress among Medical and Health Sciences Students? RQ3. Is there a relation between the usage of AI Chabot and depression, anxiety, and stress among Medical and Health Sciences University Students? RQ4. Is there a difference between the group who is using Chabot and the one who does not about depression, anxiety, and stress levels? Methods Design A quantitative, descriptive comparative research design was used in this study. Setting and participants The sample was recruited from four Colleges: College of Medical Sciences (MBBS), College of Dental Sciences (BDS), College of Pharmacy (B Pharm), and College of Nursing (BSN). The sample size was calculated based on the total number of students in the four colleges: MBBS, BDS, B Pharm, and BSN (530, 298, 123, and 358, respectively), in total of 1309 students. A stratified random sampling technique was obtained using this formula: ([sample size/population size] x stratum size) as follows: 120 students from MBBS, 68 students from BDS, 28 students from B Pharm, and 82 students from BSN (n = 298). Inclusion Criteria were undergraduate students who accept to participate in the study. Data collection A face-to-face survey was carried out to collect the data. The participants took approximately 10-15 minutes to complete the questionnaire, and the duration of data collection was two months. To collect the data three tools were used. The correspondence/final author is a licensed mental health practitioner within the United Arab Emirates and was able to ensure rigor within the data collection process. Tool I : Socio-Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire: This questionnaire includes questions on college, gender, age, nationality, and year in the university. Tool II : AI Chatbot Usability questionnaire: The researcher created this questionnaire to assess the students’ usage of AI Chatbots, their causes of usage, and the time they spent on chatbots. Tool III : Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21). The DASS-21 ( Lovibond and Lovibond, 1995 ) is a well-established instrument for measuring depression, anxiety, and stress, with good reliability and validity reported from Hispanic American, British, and Australian adults. Lovibond and Lovibond (1995) designed this tool to measure the emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress through this set of three self-report scales. Seven items are sub-divided into three scales that collectively allow the DASS-21 tool to assess mental well-being. The first scale focuses on depression and is used to assess inertia, hopelessness, devaluation of life dysphoria, self-deprecation, lack of interest/involvement, and anhedonia. The second scale focuses on anxiety and assesses anxious effect, subjective experience, situational experience, muscle effects, and autonomic arousal. It should be noted that there are reports of the stress scale being sensitive to levels of chronic non-specific arousal ( Lovibond and Lovibond, 1995 ). This third scale assesses the participants ability to relax, recorded impatience, level of agitation, irritability and signs of over-reactivity. The final stage of the process is a holistic assessment, created through review of the calculated scores for depression (scale one), anxiety (scale two), and stress (scale three) are calculated through the accumulative score before progressing on to data analysis. Data analysis and management Data analysis was done using SPSS software, version 28 for Windows—the potential associations between the DASS scores and demographic variables, using chi-square. Regarding the association between the DASS items and AI usage, a binary outcome variable was created to classify participants into two distinct groups, “normal to mild” and “moderate to extremely severe,” utilizing predefined cutoff points determined using DASS score. A logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between the categorized DASS scores and periodontitis while adjusting for potential confounding factors. Odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to estimate the strength and direction of the association. All statistical tests were conducted with two-tailed significance, and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. To assess the internal consistency and reliability of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) scores and tool II (AI usage), a reliability analysis was conducted using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. This coefficient, with a higher value (>0.7 and 0.8), indicates enhanced internal consistency among the items, a crucial factor in the reliability of the tools. Tool II was checked for its validity by a bilingual specialist. Results Demographic characteristics Table 1 presents the demographic characteristics of the study participants. Most participants were female (N = 236, 79.2%), with a mean age of 20.9 ± 2.5 years. The most significant proportion of participants was from the College of Medicine (N = 120, 40.3%), followed by the College of Nursing (N = 82, 27.5%), Dental (N = 68, 22.8%), and Pharmacy (N = 28, 9.4%). Regarding the year of study, the highest percentage was in the first year (N = 107, 35.9%), followed by the third (N = 84, 28.2%), fourth (N = 73, 24.5%), fifth (N = 15, 5.0%), and second (N = 19, 6.4%) years ( Table 1 ). Table 1. Demographic characteristics. Demographic variables N % Gender Female 236 79.2% Male 62 20.8% Age Mean ± SD 20.9 ± 2.5 Median, (IQR) 21.8 (3) Collage Dental 68 22.8% Medicine 120 40.3% Nursing 82 27.5% Pharmacy 28 9.4% Year of Study Fifth 15 5.0% First 107 35.9% Fourth 73 24.5% Second 19 6.4% Third 84 28.2% AI chatbot usage Table 2 presents the usage of AI chatbots among the students. A total of 206 participants (69.1%) reported having ever spoken with an artificially intelligent chatbot. The most used AI chatbot applications were Snapchat (N = 230, 76.9%), followed by ChatGPT and Bard (N = 70, 23.4% each), and Copilot (N = 10, 3.3%): Table 2 , Figure 1 . Table 2. AI usage among the students academic years (p < 0.001 for all). Chatbot usage N % Have you ever spoken with an artificially intelligent chatbot? Yes 206 69.1% No 92 30.9% Which application or site did you use that has an AI Chatbot? Snapchat AI 230 76.9 ChatGPT 70 23.4 Copilot 10 3.3 Bard 70 23.4 Figure 1. AI applications used. Reasons for usage the AI chatbots Nearly half of the study’s participants (40%) mentioned using AI chatbots because they are familiar with the interface with the platform and feel have a familiarity and understanding of the systems, while 25.7% reported that they can access them anytime. 20.8% found that the AI chatbot is always available to them. 17.4% felt a relationship akin to the platform representing a friend, and 16% found that it has a positive impact on reducing their stress levels. Figure 2 outlines the engagement with the A. I platforms. Figure 2. Reasons for usage the AI chatbots. Depression, anxiety, and stress among participants Overall, the identified assessment tools indicated that more than half of the participants, 170 (57.0%), had moderate to extremely severe depression, 204 (68.5%) had moderate to extremely severe anxiety, and 100 (33.6%) had moderate to extremely severe stress. Figure 3 provides insight from the study’s adoption of the Depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS). Figure 3. Depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS). Association between DASS and demographic characteristics Table 3 shows the association between DASS scores and demographic characteristics. There were no significant differences in depression and anxiety levels between genders. However, a significant association was found for stress, with 35.6% of females experiencing moderate to highly severe stress compared to 25.8% of males (p < 0.001). Students from the Dental College had the highest rates of moderate to extremely severe anxiety (75.0%) and stress (32.4%) compared to other colleges (p < 0.001 for both). First-year students had the highest prevalence of moderate to extremely severe depression (60.7%), anxiety (69.2%), and stress (26.2%) across all. Table 3. Association between DASS items with demographic characteristics and AI usage among the students. Depression P-value Anxiety P-value Stress P-value Normal to mild Moderate to severe Normal to mild Moderate to severe Normal to mild Moderate to extremely severe N % N % N % N % N % N % Gender Female 103 43.6% 133 56.4% 0.612 76 32.2% 160 67.8% 0.341 152 64.4% 84 35.6% <0.001 Male 25 40.3% 37 59.7% 18 29.0% 44 71.0% 46 74.2% 16 25.8% Age (Mean ± SD) 21 ± 3 21 ± 2 0.711 21 ± 2 22 ± 3 0.611 21 ± 3 21 ± 2 0.630 Collage Dental 27 39.7% 41 60.3% 0.221 17 25.0% 51 75.0% <0.001 46 67.6% 22 32.4% <0.001 Medicine 57 47.5% 63 52.5% 47 39.2% 73 60.8% 81 67.5% 39 32.5% Nursing 33 40.2% 49 59.8% 20 24.4% 62 75.6% 55 67.1% 27 32.9% Pharmacy 11 39.3% 17 60.7% 10 35.7% 18 64.3% 16 57.1% 12 42.9% Year of Study First 42 39.3% 65 60.7% <0.001 33 30.8% 74 69.2% <0.001 79 73.8% 28 26.2% <0.001 Second 4 21.1% 15 78.9% 0 0.0% 19 100.0% 6 31.6% 13 68.4% Third 43 51.2% 41 48.8% 29 34.5% 55 65.5% 54 64.3% 30 35.7% Fourth 31 42.5% 42 57.5% 28 38.4% 45 61.6% 49 67.1% 24 32.9% Fifth 8 53.3% 7 46.7% 4 26.7% 11 73.3% 10 66.7% 5 33.3% Association between AI chatbot usage and dASS Table 4 illustrates the association between AI chatbot usage and DASS scores. Participants who had never spoken with an AI chatbot were more likely to have moderate to extremely severe depression (N = 125, 63.5%) compared to those who had not used an AI chatbot (N = 45, 36.7%, p < 0.001). Additionally, 153 participants (75.0%) who used AI chatbots had moderate to extremely severe anxiety, while only 51 non-users (55.0%) had this level of anxiety (p < 0.001). However, no significant association was found between AI chatbot usage and stress levels (p = 0.236). Table 4. Association between AI usage with demographics and DASS items. Variables Have you ever spoken with an artificially intelligent chatbot? P-value Yes No N % N % Demographics Gender Male 46 74.2% 16 25.8% 0.231 Female 160 67.8% 76 32.2% Age (Mean ± SD) 21 ± 3 21 ± 2 0.611 Collage Medicine 88 73.3% 32 26.7% <0.001 Dental 54 79.4% 14 20.6% Pharmacy 14 50.0% 14 50.0% Nursing 50 61.0% 32 39.0% Year of Study First 60 56.1% 47 43.9% <0.001 Second 13 68.4% 6 31.6% Third 62 73.8% 22 26.2% Fourth 57 78.1% 16 21.9% Fifth 14 93.3% 1 6.7% DASS Depression Normal to mild 81 63.3% 47 36.7% <0.001 Moderate to severe 125 73.5% 45 26.5% Anxiety Normal to mild 53 56.4% 41 43.6% <0.001 Moderate to severe 153 75.0% 51 25.0% Stress Normal to mild 134 67.7% 64 32.3% 0.236 Moderate to extremely severe 72 72.0% 28 28.0% Factors predicting AI chatbot usage The results of the multivariate regression analysis identify factors predicting AI chatbot usage. After adjusting for covariates, students from the College of Medicine were more likely to use AI chatbots than those from the College of Nursing (OR = 3.094, 95% CI: 1.057-3.059, p = 0.039). Additionally, higher levels of depression (OR = 1.022, 95% CI: 1.01-1.085, p < 0.001) and anxiety (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01-1.21, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with increased AI chatbot usage ( Table 5 ). Table 5. Multivariate regression analysis of factors predicting AI usage. OR 95% CI of the OR P-value Gender (Female) 0.541 0.270 1.083 0.083 Age 0.942 0.942 0.829 0.359 Collage Nursing (Reference) 1 Medicine 3.094 1.057 3.059 0.039 Dental 1.080 0.325 3.586 0.900 pharmacy 1.700 0.670 4.314 0.264 Year of Study First (Reference) 1 Second 5.255 2.634 4.552 <0.001 Third 1.377 0.139 1.024 0.056 Fourth 2.140 0.920 4.981 0.078 Fifth 1.637 0.179 2.268 0.486 Stress .961 0.904 1.021 0.201 Anxiety 1.05 1.01 1.21 <0.001 Depression 1.022 1.01 1.085 <0.001 Discussion Alowais et al. (2023) explains that the rapid advancement of AI has ushered in a new era of digital communication tools, including AI-powered chatbots. These chatbots are increasingly employed across various domains, including education and healthcare, to provide information, support, and interaction ( Bajwa et al., 2021 ). As such, understanding the factors that influence the usage of AI chatbots, particularly among university students, is crucial. This demographic often faces unique academic and social pressures, which may drive their interaction with technological aids ( Tian et al., 2024 ). Herein, we aimed to investigate the relationship between mental health issues among students in medical and health sciences disciplines and AI chatbot interaction. This is timely as The World Health Organisation (2022) estimates that the majority of individuals with mental illness do not seek treatment, citing reasons as concerns a perceived damaging of their family’s reputation, proposals for marriage, social status, encountering discrimination, exclusion from communities, and stigma. Consequently, these individuals can experience poor academic achievement ( Bruffaerts et al., 2018 ) and diminished self-esteem ( Stuart et al., 2019 ). The findings of this study collaborate this earlier research and underscore a significant prevalence of mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and stress, among students in medical and health sciences disciplines, with more than half of the participants reporting moderate to extremely severe symptoms. The findings indicate that AI chatbot usage was associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety. Specifically, students who had interacted with AI chatbots exhibited a greater likelihood of experiencing moderate to extremely severe depression, although no significant correlation was found with stress levels. The study revealed that the prevalence of mental health issues among university students, particularly in the medical and health sciences fields, is consistent with a substantial body of existing literature outside of the Middle East. Numerous studies by researchers such as Rtbey et al., (2022) ; Agyapong-Opoku et al., (2023) ; Ibrahim et al., (2024) ; Nair et al., (2023) have highlighted the high rates of depression, anxiety, and stress experienced by these healthcare students. in these disciplines, often attributed to the rigorous academic demands and intense competition inherent in healthcare education. The students experiencing these stressful life events, so often a consequence of rigorous academic growth sought support from AI chatbots. This process demonstrates evidence of the presence of Salutogenesis. Originally developed by Antonovsky, salutogenesis explains how some individuals utilize resources available to them to survive and thrive effectively in adverse social conditions ( Antonovsky, 1979 ; Mottershead et al., 2024 ). This adoption of AI chatbot platforms appears to demonstrate that health and well-being cannot be conceptualized in the narrowest sense as a biological function. The students appear to be adopting this technology in an attempt to enhance their quality of life and to support them within their adverse circumstances of life within higher education. The authors therefore emphasize that salutogenesis has an important role in creating insight into the mental well-being of students and creating further understanding around AI use within their lives. This understanding is furthered within the study’s observation that participants perceived medical chatbots as possessing numerous advantages, such as anonymity, convenience, and expedited access to relevant information. The participants appeared to be equally inclined to share emotions and information with a chatbot as they would with a human counterpart. The intriguing aspect is that interactions with chatbots and humans exhibited similar degrees of perceived understanding, intimacy of disclosure, and cognitive reappraisal, indicating that users engage psychologically with chatbots as they do with humans. The study’s participants mentioned using AI chatbots because they felt an understanding with them, that they (participant) can access them (chatbot) at any time which appeared to enhance a sense of familiarity due to the convenience that the chatbot was meeting their immediate needs. This appeared to foster a sense of belonging towards the chatbot and social cohesion mirroring similar relations identified as ‘friendship’ and that this relationship was able to alleviate their feeling of stress which in turn enhancing a bond of trust with the AI chatbot as the participants did not feel that they could or would be judged by the AI chatbot. Regarding AI chatbot usage and its association with mental health well-being, our findings are consistent with research by Klos et al. (2021) , which had suggested a potential link between excessive digital technology use and a consequential adverse negative impact on mental health. Interestingly, the authors highlight this study’s findings that indicate a significant association between AI chatbot usage paralleled with higher levels of depression and anxiety among students. This maybe explained that those students with negative ill-health are seeking support from the AI chatbots rather than the digital exposure is having an adverse effect on their mental health. There appeared to be a lack of a significant relationship with stress levels associated with AI chatbot use which contrasts with findings from studies such as that by Klos et al. (2021) . This discrepancy may be attributed to variations in study methodologies, sample characteristics, and the specific platforms or types of AI chatbots examined. It does however, underscore the need for further research to create an understanding about the nuanced interactions between technology use and mental health outcomes in higher educational settings. The study found no significant association between gender and AI chatbot usage, whilst other studies outside the Middle East have reported gender differences in technology adoption patterns ( Truong et al., 2023 ). Moreover, the lack of significant association between age and AI chatbot usage in our study contrasts with findings by Truong et al. (2023) , which identified age as a moderating factor of medical mobile applications. These discrepancies may stem from variations in sample characteristics, cultural contexts, or the specific types of technology examined, highlighting the need for further investigation into the nuanced factors influencing technology adoption among different global populations. The high prevalence of AI chatbot engagement aligns with studies indicating increased acceptance and utilization of digital mental health interventions among young adults. Specifically, the popularity of platforms like Snapchat for accessing AI chatbots resonates with research demonstrating the widespread use of social media for mental health-related activities, including seeking support and sharing personal experiences ( Klos et al., 2021 ). This would suggest that integrating AI chatbots into familiar social media platforms may enhance accessibility and acceptability among students, potentially addressing barriers to traditional mental health services. Whilst this may be favorable the authors note a need for rigor of data and the interpretation of data provided by the AI chatbot. Similarly, to the findings of Ahmed et al., (2025) it is recommended that there is a need to conduct a training program on AI usage in healthcare as well as ensuring that students are aware of the limitations of AI chatbot. This proposed training program could enhance the effectiveness of the usage of AI chatbot platforms whilst ensuring supportive mental health strategies. However, as highlighted by Nawaz et al., (2024) whilst there is indeed evidence of how digital systems can support mental health via enhanced social support, reducing stigma and isolation. Indeed, Mottershead and Ghisoni (2021) demonstrate the opportunities exist for non-pharmaceutical interventions however, a challenge is that the current healthcare landscape appears unprepared for its implementation and clearly there is a need for more explorative studies. Despite the high prevalence of AI chatbot usage, our study also revealed alarming rates of moderate to extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress among students highlighting the mental health challenges faced by university populations within the 21 st century. The continued presence of mental health problems does raise questions about the effectiveness of AI chatbots in mitigating mental health symptoms among students when usage is so high. The authors believe that future research should explore the integration of AI chatbots with other forms of validated and accredited mental health support to optimize outcomes and ensure comprehensive care for this vulnerable population entrusted with our society’s future healthcare needs. Limitations of the study Integrating a well-structured demographic and psychological assessment enhances the reliability of our findings. However, there are limitations to consider. The study’s cross-sectional design restricts our ability to establish causality between mental health issues and AI chatbot usage. Undoubtedly, the author’s own lived experience and subjectivity may have influenced the interpretation of these findings, as highlighted by Blaikie (2007) . However, precautions were taken to limit the impact of this bias, where possible, by adhering to a clear and robust methodological framework. The sample is limited to a single institution, which may affect the generalizability of the results to broader university populations. However, the data adds a new cultural context from the United Arab Emirates, contributing to global knowledge of this topic. The authors would recommend that future studies could benefit from longitudinal designs and broader demographic sampling to overcome these noted limitations. Conclusion Most of the participants experienced moderate to extremely severe symptoms. Notably, students who had used AI chatbots were more likely to have higher levels of depression and anxiety compared to non-users. Factors such as being a medical student and having a higher academic year were also associated with increased AI chatbot usage. These findings underscore the need for comprehensive mental health interventions and support services tailored to the unique needs of this population, which may include the judicious integration of AI-powered chatbots as part of a broader mental health strategy. In determining the relevance for clinical practice, the use of AI chatbots holds great potential in identifying and treating mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and stress in students and adolescents. Clinical nurses may recommend these technologies as primary support for clients who may not seek in-person support. It is feasible that College based counselling services could utilize AI Chatbots. This could let users monitor their symptoms in real-time and guide them through evidenced based and accredited cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) treatment. The availability of Chatbots’ twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week, could have a significant positive impact on mental health care within universities and wider societies as AI Chatbots assist with this generations instant demand for a response and rapid assistance. It is feasible that University counsellors as well as wider healthcare professionals could incorporate chatbots into treatment plans, offering enhanced patient and family involvement and therefore, hope and optimism for holistic care and enhanced outcomes. Ethical considerations The study was conducted as per the relevant ethical guidelines and regulations, including the Declaration of Helsinki. After getting approval from RAK College of nursing REC (RAKCON-REC-01-2023/24-F-M) for the study, written informed consent was obtained from the participants. The privacy of the participants and the confidentiality of the collected data were assured. 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PubMed Abstract | Publisher Full Text Comments on this article Comments (0) Version 2 VERSION 2 PUBLISHED 07 Jul 2025 ADD YOUR COMMENT Comment Author details Author details 1 RAK College of Nursing,, Ras Al Khaimah Medical and Health Sciences University, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates 2 Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt 3 Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt 4 Faculty of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 5 College of Nursing, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq Eman Abdelaziz Rashad Dabou Roles: Formal Analysis, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing Fatma Magdi Ibrahim Roles: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing Mustafa Faisal Haimour Roles: Data Curation Aya Saleh Roles: Data Curation Richard Mottershead Roles: Formal Analysis, Validation, Writing – Original Draft Preparation, Writing – Review & Editing Competing interests No competing interests were disclosed. Grant information The author(s) declared that no grants were involved in supporting this work. Article Versions (2) version 2 Revised Published: 06 Oct 2025, 14:665 https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.166372.2 version 1 Published: 07 Jul 2025, 14:665 https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.166372.1 Copyright © 2025 Abdelaziz Rashad Dabou E et al . This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Download Export To Sciwheel Bibtex EndNote ProCite Ref. Manager (RIS) Sente metrics Views Downloads F1000Research - - PubMed Central info_outline Data from PMC are received and updated monthly. - - Citations open_in_new 0 open_in_new 0 open_in_new SEE MORE DETAILS CITE how to cite this article Abdelaziz Rashad Dabou E, Magdi Ibrahim F, Faisal Haimour M et al. New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical & Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations] . F1000Research 2025, 14 :665 ( https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.166372.1 ) NOTE: If applicable, it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in all citations of this article. COPY CITATION DETAILS track receive updates on this article Track an article to receive email alerts on any updates to this article. TRACK THIS ARTICLE Share Open Peer Review Current Reviewer Status: ? Key to Reviewer Statuses VIEW HIDE Approved The paper is scientifically sound in its current form and only minor, if any, improvements are suggested Approved with reservations A number of small changes, sometimes more significant revisions are required to address specific details and improve the papers academic merit. Not approved Fundamental flaws in the paper seriously undermine the findings and conclusions Version 1 VERSION 1 PUBLISHED 07 Jul 2025 Views 0 Cite How to cite this report: Taylor DCM. Reviewer Report For: New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical & Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations] . F1000Research 2025, 14 :665 ( https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.183349.r399583 ) The direct URL for this report is: https://f1000research.com/articles/14-665/v1#referee-response-399583 NOTE: it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in this citation. Close Copy Citation Details Reviewer Report 18 Aug 2025 David C M Taylor , Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates Approved VIEWS 0 https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.183349.r399583 For the sake of clarity this report uses the “WADFISH” Scheme. WHY is this interesting? The mental health and well-being of students of the health professions is of crucial importance in maintaining recruitment into the health ... Continue reading READ ALL For the sake of clarity this report uses the “WADFISH” Scheme. WHY is this interesting? The mental health and well-being of students of the health professions is of crucial importance in maintaining recruitment into the health professions, and of course, for the students themselves. Increasing pressures within the workforce, and increasing student numbers, means that the time available for interpersonal contact between faculty and student is limited. One option used by the current generations of students is to resort to AI driven chatbots. This paper examines the extent and potential consequences of that approach. What was their AIM? The author’s aim was to identify the relationship between AI Chatbot usage and Stress, Anxiety and Depression levels among Health Sciences University students. Specifically their research questions were: RQ1. What are the frequencies of using the Chatbot among medical and health sciences university students? RQ2. What are the reasons for the usage of AI Chatbot to cope with depression, anxiety, and stress among Medical and Health Sciences Students? RQ3. Is there a relation between the usage of AI Chatbot and depression, anxiety, and stress among Medical and Health Sciences University Students? RQ4. Is there a difference between the group who is using Chatbot and the one who does not about depression, anxiety, and stress levels? What did they DO? The authors asked a stratified sample of health professions students to complete three inventories categorising their AI chatbot usability (Tool II), their score on the depression anxiety stress scale (DASS-21: Tool III), all related to their demographics (Tool I). The authors used standard statistical techniques in their analysis. In my opinion the analysis is sound. What did they FIND? The most used application was Snapchat. Participants who used Chatbots were significantly more likely to suffer from moderate to extremely severe depression than those who did not. The authors recognise that this is not necessarily a causal relationship. SO WHAT? AI Chatbots have the potential as a “helpful adjunct” to other interventions in helping students passing through mental health difficulties. HOW will this affect me, my institution, my students or patients? In my opinion the biggest issue is in helping students to understand more about the use of AI, whilst ensuring the more conventional support systems remain available. General Comments This is an interesting study, which has been well thought through and well executed. There are several spelling/typographical errors which need attention. “Chatbot” appears to have been automatically corrected to “Chabot” in several places. More confusingly in the data analysis and management section there appears the following: “A logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between the categorized DASS scores and periodontitis while adjusting for potential confounding factors”. Is there a typographical error there? Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature? Yes Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound? Yes Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others? Yes If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate? Yes Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility? Yes Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results? Yes Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed. Reviewer Expertise: My area of research is higher education, in particular in qualitative studies of lived experience.I have published several studies relating to AI. I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard. Close READ LESS CITE CITE HOW TO CITE THIS REPORT Taylor DCM. Reviewer Report For: New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical & Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations] . F1000Research 2025, 14 :665 ( https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.183349.r399583 ) The direct URL for this report is: https://f1000research.com/articles/14-665/v1#referee-response-399583 NOTE: it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in all citations of this article. COPY CITATION DETAILS Report a concern Author Response 11 Sep 2025 Dr. Richard Mottershead , Faculty of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 11 Sep 2025 Author Response 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 ... Continue reading 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 – Dr. Richard Mottershead. 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 – Dr. Richard Mottershead. Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed. Close Report a concern Respond or Comment COMMENTS ON THIS REPORT Author Response 11 Sep 2025 Dr. Richard Mottershead , Faculty of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 11 Sep 2025 Author Response 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 ... Continue reading 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 – Dr. Richard Mottershead. 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 – Dr. Richard Mottershead. Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed. Close Report a concern COMMENT ON THIS REPORT Views 0 Cite How to cite this report: Hussein Alwan APDI. Reviewer Report For: New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical & Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations] . F1000Research 2025, 14 :665 ( https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.183349.r399588 ) The direct URL for this report is: https://f1000research.com/articles/14-665/v1#referee-response-399588 NOTE: it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in this citation. Close Copy Citation Details Reviewer Report 18 Aug 2025 Assisst .Prof Dr Iman Hussein Alwan , psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, University of Baghdad/ College of Nursing, Baghdad, Baghdad Governorate, Iraq Approved with Reservations VIEWS 0 https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.183349.r399588 The article titled "New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical & Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study" Reviewer Comments: ... Continue reading READ ALL The article titled "New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical & Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study" Reviewer Comments: After reviewing the submitted manuscript, I would like to offer the following scientific explanations with the aim of improving the clarity, consistency, and academic contribution of the study. I reviewed all parts of the study, including the abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Abstract: The abstract is informative, but would benefit from explicitly stating the tools used for data collection. It is recommended to summarize the key statistical findings more clearly. Introduction: It is recommended to clarify the scientific gap more clearly by comparing Western literature with the Arab/Gulf environment, to highlight the contribution the study makes. The researcher did not precisely define these challenges. Challenges include: lack of resources, a shortage of mental health professionals, social stigma associated with mental health, and difficulty accessing healthcare. Recommendation: Add examples of other digital technologies being piloted in mental health care, and perhaps the growing role of artificial intelligence in mental health treatment in the Middle East. Some global statistics related to mental health, such as the number of individuals affected by depression and anxiety, support a global view of the mental health problem, but these statistics could be better contextualized in more detail with the reality of the Middle East. Methods: The names of the scales used to measure stress, anxiety, and depression are not mentioned. The tools should be clearly identified and explained in the methodology section, including their reliability, validity, and cultural adaptation, especially since the study is being conducted in the UAE, where cultural factors may influence results. There is insufficient demographic information about the sample : such as (Student age group, Ratio of males to females.) type of university is vague. if ethical approval permits clarify whether it is a public or private institution. The sample size (298) was mentioned, but the total population size was not mentioned. Tool III: DASS-21: Recommendation: The study could include more details on how the tool was administered to participants. For example, were participants given an explanation of how to answer the questions? Were the questions understandable to everyone, especially in a multicultural setting? The design is described as "descriptive comparative," while the researcher aims to "determine the relationship." Note: It is better to use the term "correlational" or "cross-sectional correlational" if the goal is to examine only correlational relationships. Result : The results are presented clearly, with statistical data such as p-values and OR values. However, the interpretation of these results could be made clearer, particularly regarding the relationship between chatbot use and depression/anxiety. The measurement tools were mentioned in the results section, whereas they should be clearly described in the methodology section. The researcher report that 63.5% of chatbot users experience depression, versus 36.7% of non-users, but offer no explanation. Discussion of causality versus correlation is essential. Include a section on the practical significance of findings (e.g., clinical implications, intervention planning) Recommendation: Authors should discuss the causal relationship between chatbot use and depression/anxiety. They should explore whether chatbot use causes mental health problems, or whether preexisting medical conditions (such as depression and anxiety) lead to increased chatbot use. Authors should include a section explaining the practical significance of the findings, particularly how the use of intelligent chatbots affects mental health outcomes, and the strength of these effects. Research question Q1: Define what constitutes "frequent use" (e.g., how many times per week/month?). Q2: Consider expanding the question to include other motivations (e.g., convenience, privacy, stigma avoidance). Q3: Consider moderating variables such as severity of symptoms or type of chatbot interaction (text/audio). (Setting and participants: Recommendation: It is important to determine how the sample size was calculated more precisely. For example, how was the required number from each college determined? Was there a proportional distribution among the different disciplines? RESULT: Data visualization can be enhanced by using a graph or chart to visually illustrate the distribution. Some explanation could be added about why these specializations (such as medicine, pharmacy, nursing) were chosen in particular and why a specific number of participants from each college was selected. There may be additional details about how these robots are used, such as the amount of time students spend interacting with the robots or the type of assistance they request Brief Overview This manuscript discovers the relationship between mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, and stress) and the use of AI-based chatbot platforms among medical and health sciences students in the United Arab Emirates. The theme is relevant and appropriate, lecturing the cumulative confidence on digital mental health tools in higher education. The research offerings important findings on the prevalence of mental health symptoms and the apparent worth of chatbots among students. General Comments The paper is usually well-written, with a coherent construction and a clearly defined aim. The use of a cross-sectional design is suitable; however, several methodological and structural aspects need improvement. Some inconsistencies started in the placement of key information, particularly about the measurement tools. The discussion is rich but could benefit from clearer comparisons with studies from similar cultural backgrounds. Despite these apprehensions, the study contributes valuable insights and is possible for journal after revisions. Specific Comments �� Title and Abstract The title is comprehensive and informative. The abstract summarizes the study sufficiently but would advantage from more clear mention of the main answers and statistical significance. �� Introduction The introduction successfully presents the topic and its significance. It is recommended to clarify early what constitutes “AI chatbot use” (e.g., frequency, purpose, platform). �� Methodology The methodology section should include a full description of the measurement tools (DASS-21 and other scales) with their psychometric properties and validity, instead of first introducing them in the results. The sampling technique and inclusion/exclusion criteria need clearer explanation. Ethical agreement is stated but could be more detailed in describing participant staffing. �� Results The results are presented logically and are supported by statistical analysis. However, tables need clearer formatting (e.g., add degrees of freedom where relevant, ensure consistent formatting of P-values). A brief explanation of what the odds ratio implies in practical terms would improve reader understanding. �� Discussion The discussion interprets the findings appropriately and links them with relevant literature. The resilience-focused approach a valuable is a useful addition but it requires clearer integration into the discussion. The researchers state that chatbot users presented higher depression and anxiety levels, but causality cannot be incidental—this should be more explicitly emphasized. �� Limitations The limitations are acknowledged properly. The influence of the author’s own interpretation is noted, which validates transparency. However, upcoming studies should consider triangulation or multi-site data to strengthen credibility. �� Conclusion and Implications The conclusion is aligned with the findings and suggests practical applications in clinical and university counseling settings. Recommendations for integrating chatbot use into mental health care are promising, but care should be taken not to overstate the current evidence base. �� Language and Style The manuscript is mostly written in clear academic English. Some grammatical inconsistencies and redundancy exist and should be addressed in editing (e.g., sentence structure, paragraph transitions). Approval Status Approved with reservations The article addresses an important and timely topic and offers relevant insights into AI chatbot use and student mental health. However, revisions are required in the methodology section (particularly in describing the measurement tools), results formatting, and some language editing. After these improvements, the manuscript will be suitable for acceptance. Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature? Yes Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound? Yes Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others? Yes If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate? Yes Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility? Yes Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results? Yes Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed. Reviewer Expertise: , community Emotional Intelligence, psychiatric mental health, Psychological , educational, a ddication I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard, however I have significant reservations, as outlined above. Close READ LESS CITE CITE HOW TO CITE THIS REPORT Hussein Alwan APDI. Reviewer Report For: New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical & Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations] . F1000Research 2025, 14 :665 ( https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.183349.r399588 ) The direct URL for this report is: https://f1000research.com/articles/14-665/v1#referee-response-399588 NOTE: it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in all citations of this article. COPY CITATION DETAILS Report a concern Author Response 11 Sep 2025 Dr. Richard Mottershead , Faculty of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 11 Sep 2025 Author Response 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 ... Continue reading 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. Indeed, we feel confident that our subsequent article is greatly enhanced by assimilating your valid points and guiding our continuing research. Again, thank you and we hope our responses acknowledge the value we place in your peer-review report. Dr. Richard Mottershead Reviewer Comments: After reviewing the submitted manuscript, I would like to offer the following scientific explanations with the aim of improving the clarity, consistency, and academic contribution of the study. I reviewed all parts of the study, including the abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Abstract: The abstract is informative, but would benefit from explicitly stating the tools used for data collection. Thank you and we were constrained within the word limit within the abstract to omit certain information in order to meet the journal requirements. However, we have included your suggestions. It is recommended to summarize the key statistical findings more clearly. Thank you for your suggestion and the team has taken your point and assimilated it into the updated article. Introduction: It is recommended to clarify the scientific gap more clearly by comparing Western literature with the Arab/Gulf environment, to highlight the contribution the study makes. This is a key-interest within the research team and so your point is valid and has been adopted into the revised article – thank you. The researcher did not precisely define these challenges. Challenges include: lack of resources, a shortage of mental health professionals, social stigma associated with mental health, and difficulty accessing healthcare. Thank you for your comments and the article has been enhanced by your suggestion. Recommendation: Add examples of other digital technologies being piloted in mental health care, and perhaps the growing role of artificial intelligence in mental health treatment in the Middle East. We have listed some current examples that are linked to members of the research team but wanted to ensure that we maintained a focus on this study’s aims and objectives. Some global statistics related to mental health, such as the number of individuals affected by depression and anxiety, support a global view of the mental health problem, but these statistics could be better contextualized in more detail with the reality of the Middle East. We acknowledge your valid point and have made alterations within the article to reflect your valid points. Thank you. Methods: The names of the scales used to measure stress, anxiety, and depression are not mentioned. The tools should be clearly identified and explained in the methodology section, including their reliability, validity, and cultural adaptation, especially since the study is being conducted in the UAE, where cultural factors may influence results. There is insufficient demographic information about the sample: such as (Student age group, Ratio of males to females.) type of university is vague. if ethical approval permits clarify whether it is a public or private institution. The sample size (298) was mentioned, but the total population size was not mentioned. Thank you for your valid points but in order to maintain confidentiality were not able to be too specific as the number of institutions delivering these courses within the UAE is relatively small. We have made alterations which we hope will meet your suggestions. Tool III: DASS-21: Recommendation: The study could include more details on how the tool was administered to participants. For example, were participants given an explanation of how to answer the questions? Were the questions understandable to everyone, especially in a multicultural setting? There is some discussion of language and an effective method of engaging with the participants is established, implied and acknowledged. The design is described as "descriptive comparative," while the researcher aims to "determine the relationship." Note: It is better to use the term "correlational" or "cross-sectional correlational" if the goal is to examine only correlational relationships. We took direction from previous comparative studies and as we make reference to them we wished to maintain an easy comparison. However we have made alterations to the article which we hope reflect your suggestions and therefore, enhance the article. Result: The results are presented clearly, with statistical data such as p-values and OR values. However, the interpretation of these results could be made clearer, particularly regarding the relationship between chatbot use and depression/anxiety. Thank you for your suggestions and we have assimilated these into the alterations made from the original to the new version. Thank you. The measurement tools were mentioned in the results section, whereas they should be clearly described in the methodology section. We were encouraged to focus this material within the results section as it became a relevant part of the findings of the study. The researcher report that 63.5% of chatbot users experience depression, versus 36.7% of non-users, but offer no explanation. Discussion of causality versus correlation is essential. Include a section on the practical significance of findings (e.g., clinical implications, intervention planning) Recommendation: Authors should discuss the causal relationship between chatbot use and depression/anxiety. They should explore whether chatbot use causes mental health problems, or whether preexisting medical conditions (such as depression and anxiety) lead to increased chatbot use. This is a valid point and we thank you for raising this point. The emergence of causality was discussed by the participants and attributed to factors that they themselves identified. As the study was concerned to allow the participants to share their voice/narrative we relied on the participants mean making process of their experiences and we have now sought to enhance these relevant sections. Authors should include a section explaining the practical significance of the findings, particularly how the use of intelligent chatbots affects mental health outcomes, and the strength of these effects. The limitations of article length curtails such an expansive coverage but with editing with have included your suggestions which we hope you feel are relevant. Research question Q1: Define what constitutes "frequent use" (e.g., how many times per week/month?). Q2: Consider expanding the question to include other motivations (e.g., convenience, privacy, stigma avoidance). Q3: Consider moderating variables such as severity of symptoms or type of chatbot interaction (text/audio). (Setting and participants: Recommendation: It is important to determine how the sample size was calculated more precisely. For example, how was the required number from each college determined? Was there a proportional distribution among the different disciplines? Thank you for your suggestions and we have incorporated your suggestions into our article. RESULT: Data visualization can be enhanced by using a graph or chart to visually illustrate the distribution. Thank you, we have assimilated your suggestions into the relevant sections. Some explanation could be added about why these specializations (such as medicine, pharmacy, nursing) were chosen in particular and why a specific number of participants from each college was selected. Thank you and we have sought to provide a further explanation which we hope has addressed your suggestion. Again, thank you for your review. 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. Indeed, we feel confident that our subsequent article is greatly enhanced by assimilating your valid points and guiding our continuing research. Again, thank you and we hope our responses acknowledge the value we place in your peer-review report. Dr. Richard Mottershead Reviewer Comments: After reviewing the submitted manuscript, I would like to offer the following scientific explanations with the aim of improving the clarity, consistency, and academic contribution of the study. I reviewed all parts of the study, including the abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Abstract: The abstract is informative, but would benefit from explicitly stating the tools used for data collection. Thank you and we were constrained within the word limit within the abstract to omit certain information in order to meet the journal requirements. However, we have included your suggestions. It is recommended to summarize the key statistical findings more clearly. Thank you for your suggestion and the team has taken your point and assimilated it into the updated article. Introduction: It is recommended to clarify the scientific gap more clearly by comparing Western literature with the Arab/Gulf environment, to highlight the contribution the study makes. This is a key-interest within the research team and so your point is valid and has been adopted into the revised article – thank you. The researcher did not precisely define these challenges. Challenges include: lack of resources, a shortage of mental health professionals, social stigma associated with mental health, and difficulty accessing healthcare. Thank you for your comments and the article has been enhanced by your suggestion. Recommendation: Add examples of other digital technologies being piloted in mental health care, and perhaps the growing role of artificial intelligence in mental health treatment in the Middle East. We have listed some current examples that are linked to members of the research team but wanted to ensure that we maintained a focus on this study’s aims and objectives. Some global statistics related to mental health, such as the number of individuals affected by depression and anxiety, support a global view of the mental health problem, but these statistics could be better contextualized in more detail with the reality of the Middle East. We acknowledge your valid point and have made alterations within the article to reflect your valid points. Thank you. Methods: The names of the scales used to measure stress, anxiety, and depression are not mentioned. The tools should be clearly identified and explained in the methodology section, including their reliability, validity, and cultural adaptation, especially since the study is being conducted in the UAE, where cultural factors may influence results. There is insufficient demographic information about the sample: such as (Student age group, Ratio of males to females.) type of university is vague. if ethical approval permits clarify whether it is a public or private institution. The sample size (298) was mentioned, but the total population size was not mentioned. Thank you for your valid points but in order to maintain confidentiality were not able to be too specific as the number of institutions delivering these courses within the UAE is relatively small. We have made alterations which we hope will meet your suggestions. Tool III: DASS-21: Recommendation: The study could include more details on how the tool was administered to participants. For example, were participants given an explanation of how to answer the questions? Were the questions understandable to everyone, especially in a multicultural setting? There is some discussion of language and an effective method of engaging with the participants is established, implied and acknowledged. The design is described as "descriptive comparative," while the researcher aims to "determine the relationship." Note: It is better to use the term "correlational" or "cross-sectional correlational" if the goal is to examine only correlational relationships. We took direction from previous comparative studies and as we make reference to them we wished to maintain an easy comparison. However we have made alterations to the article which we hope reflect your suggestions and therefore, enhance the article. Result: The results are presented clearly, with statistical data such as p-values and OR values. However, the interpretation of these results could be made clearer, particularly regarding the relationship between chatbot use and depression/anxiety. Thank you for your suggestions and we have assimilated these into the alterations made from the original to the new version. Thank you. The measurement tools were mentioned in the results section, whereas they should be clearly described in the methodology section. We were encouraged to focus this material within the results section as it became a relevant part of the findings of the study. The researcher report that 63.5% of chatbot users experience depression, versus 36.7% of non-users, but offer no explanation. Discussion of causality versus correlation is essential. Include a section on the practical significance of findings (e.g., clinical implications, intervention planning) Recommendation: Authors should discuss the causal relationship between chatbot use and depression/anxiety. They should explore whether chatbot use causes mental health problems, or whether preexisting medical conditions (such as depression and anxiety) lead to increased chatbot use. This is a valid point and we thank you for raising this point. The emergence of causality was discussed by the participants and attributed to factors that they themselves identified. As the study was concerned to allow the participants to share their voice/narrative we relied on the participants mean making process of their experiences and we have now sought to enhance these relevant sections. Authors should include a section explaining the practical significance of the findings, particularly how the use of intelligent chatbots affects mental health outcomes, and the strength of these effects. The limitations of article length curtails such an expansive coverage but with editing with have included your suggestions which we hope you feel are relevant. Research question Q1: Define what constitutes "frequent use" (e.g., how many times per week/month?). Q2: Consider expanding the question to include other motivations (e.g., convenience, privacy, stigma avoidance). Q3: Consider moderating variables such as severity of symptoms or type of chatbot interaction (text/audio). (Setting and participants: Recommendation: It is important to determine how the sample size was calculated more precisely. For example, how was the required number from each college determined? Was there a proportional distribution among the different disciplines? Thank you for your suggestions and we have incorporated your suggestions into our article. RESULT: Data visualization can be enhanced by using a graph or chart to visually illustrate the distribution. Thank you, we have assimilated your suggestions into the relevant sections. Some explanation could be added about why these specializations (such as medicine, pharmacy, nursing) were chosen in particular and why a specific number of participants from each college was selected. Thank you and we have sought to provide a further explanation which we hope has addressed your suggestion. Again, thank you for your review. Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed. Close Report a concern Respond or Comment COMMENTS ON THIS REPORT Author Response 11 Sep 2025 Dr. Richard Mottershead , Faculty of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 11 Sep 2025 Author Response 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 ... Continue reading 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. Indeed, we feel confident that our subsequent article is greatly enhanced by assimilating your valid points and guiding our continuing research. Again, thank you and we hope our responses acknowledge the value we place in your peer-review report. Dr. Richard Mottershead Reviewer Comments: After reviewing the submitted manuscript, I would like to offer the following scientific explanations with the aim of improving the clarity, consistency, and academic contribution of the study. I reviewed all parts of the study, including the abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Abstract: The abstract is informative, but would benefit from explicitly stating the tools used for data collection. Thank you and we were constrained within the word limit within the abstract to omit certain information in order to meet the journal requirements. However, we have included your suggestions. It is recommended to summarize the key statistical findings more clearly. Thank you for your suggestion and the team has taken your point and assimilated it into the updated article. Introduction: It is recommended to clarify the scientific gap more clearly by comparing Western literature with the Arab/Gulf environment, to highlight the contribution the study makes. This is a key-interest within the research team and so your point is valid and has been adopted into the revised article – thank you. The researcher did not precisely define these challenges. Challenges include: lack of resources, a shortage of mental health professionals, social stigma associated with mental health, and difficulty accessing healthcare. Thank you for your comments and the article has been enhanced by your suggestion. Recommendation: Add examples of other digital technologies being piloted in mental health care, and perhaps the growing role of artificial intelligence in mental health treatment in the Middle East. We have listed some current examples that are linked to members of the research team but wanted to ensure that we maintained a focus on this study’s aims and objectives. Some global statistics related to mental health, such as the number of individuals affected by depression and anxiety, support a global view of the mental health problem, but these statistics could be better contextualized in more detail with the reality of the Middle East. We acknowledge your valid point and have made alterations within the article to reflect your valid points. Thank you. Methods: The names of the scales used to measure stress, anxiety, and depression are not mentioned. The tools should be clearly identified and explained in the methodology section, including their reliability, validity, and cultural adaptation, especially since the study is being conducted in the UAE, where cultural factors may influence results. There is insufficient demographic information about the sample: such as (Student age group, Ratio of males to females.) type of university is vague. if ethical approval permits clarify whether it is a public or private institution. The sample size (298) was mentioned, but the total population size was not mentioned. Thank you for your valid points but in order to maintain confidentiality were not able to be too specific as the number of institutions delivering these courses within the UAE is relatively small. We have made alterations which we hope will meet your suggestions. Tool III: DASS-21: Recommendation: The study could include more details on how the tool was administered to participants. For example, were participants given an explanation of how to answer the questions? Were the questions understandable to everyone, especially in a multicultural setting? There is some discussion of language and an effective method of engaging with the participants is established, implied and acknowledged. The design is described as "descriptive comparative," while the researcher aims to "determine the relationship." Note: It is better to use the term "correlational" or "cross-sectional correlational" if the goal is to examine only correlational relationships. We took direction from previous comparative studies and as we make reference to them we wished to maintain an easy comparison. However we have made alterations to the article which we hope reflect your suggestions and therefore, enhance the article. Result: The results are presented clearly, with statistical data such as p-values and OR values. However, the interpretation of these results could be made clearer, particularly regarding the relationship between chatbot use and depression/anxiety. Thank you for your suggestions and we have assimilated these into the alterations made from the original to the new version. Thank you. The measurement tools were mentioned in the results section, whereas they should be clearly described in the methodology section. We were encouraged to focus this material within the results section as it became a relevant part of the findings of the study. The researcher report that 63.5% of chatbot users experience depression, versus 36.7% of non-users, but offer no explanation. Discussion of causality versus correlation is essential. Include a section on the practical significance of findings (e.g., clinical implications, intervention planning) Recommendation: Authors should discuss the causal relationship between chatbot use and depression/anxiety. They should explore whether chatbot use causes mental health problems, or whether preexisting medical conditions (such as depression and anxiety) lead to increased chatbot use. This is a valid point and we thank you for raising this point. The emergence of causality was discussed by the participants and attributed to factors that they themselves identified. As the study was concerned to allow the participants to share their voice/narrative we relied on the participants mean making process of their experiences and we have now sought to enhance these relevant sections. Authors should include a section explaining the practical significance of the findings, particularly how the use of intelligent chatbots affects mental health outcomes, and the strength of these effects. The limitations of article length curtails such an expansive coverage but with editing with have included your suggestions which we hope you feel are relevant. Research question Q1: Define what constitutes "frequent use" (e.g., how many times per week/month?). Q2: Consider expanding the question to include other motivations (e.g., convenience, privacy, stigma avoidance). Q3: Consider moderating variables such as severity of symptoms or type of chatbot interaction (text/audio). (Setting and participants: Recommendation: It is important to determine how the sample size was calculated more precisely. For example, how was the required number from each college determined? Was there a proportional distribution among the different disciplines? Thank you for your suggestions and we have incorporated your suggestions into our article. RESULT: Data visualization can be enhanced by using a graph or chart to visually illustrate the distribution. Thank you, we have assimilated your suggestions into the relevant sections. Some explanation could be added about why these specializations (such as medicine, pharmacy, nursing) were chosen in particular and why a specific number of participants from each college was selected. Thank you and we have sought to provide a further explanation which we hope has addressed your suggestion. Again, thank you for your review. 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. Indeed, we feel confident that our subsequent article is greatly enhanced by assimilating your valid points and guiding our continuing research. Again, thank you and we hope our responses acknowledge the value we place in your peer-review report. Dr. Richard Mottershead Reviewer Comments: After reviewing the submitted manuscript, I would like to offer the following scientific explanations with the aim of improving the clarity, consistency, and academic contribution of the study. I reviewed all parts of the study, including the abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Abstract: The abstract is informative, but would benefit from explicitly stating the tools used for data collection. Thank you and we were constrained within the word limit within the abstract to omit certain information in order to meet the journal requirements. However, we have included your suggestions. It is recommended to summarize the key statistical findings more clearly. Thank you for your suggestion and the team has taken your point and assimilated it into the updated article. Introduction: It is recommended to clarify the scientific gap more clearly by comparing Western literature with the Arab/Gulf environment, to highlight the contribution the study makes. This is a key-interest within the research team and so your point is valid and has been adopted into the revised article – thank you. The researcher did not precisely define these challenges. Challenges include: lack of resources, a shortage of mental health professionals, social stigma associated with mental health, and difficulty accessing healthcare. Thank you for your comments and the article has been enhanced by your suggestion. Recommendation: Add examples of other digital technologies being piloted in mental health care, and perhaps the growing role of artificial intelligence in mental health treatment in the Middle East. We have listed some current examples that are linked to members of the research team but wanted to ensure that we maintained a focus on this study’s aims and objectives. Some global statistics related to mental health, such as the number of individuals affected by depression and anxiety, support a global view of the mental health problem, but these statistics could be better contextualized in more detail with the reality of the Middle East. We acknowledge your valid point and have made alterations within the article to reflect your valid points. Thank you. Methods: The names of the scales used to measure stress, anxiety, and depression are not mentioned. The tools should be clearly identified and explained in the methodology section, including their reliability, validity, and cultural adaptation, especially since the study is being conducted in the UAE, where cultural factors may influence results. There is insufficient demographic information about the sample: such as (Student age group, Ratio of males to females.) type of university is vague. if ethical approval permits clarify whether it is a public or private institution. The sample size (298) was mentioned, but the total population size was not mentioned. Thank you for your valid points but in order to maintain confidentiality were not able to be too specific as the number of institutions delivering these courses within the UAE is relatively small. We have made alterations which we hope will meet your suggestions. Tool III: DASS-21: Recommendation: The study could include more details on how the tool was administered to participants. For example, were participants given an explanation of how to answer the questions? Were the questions understandable to everyone, especially in a multicultural setting? There is some discussion of language and an effective method of engaging with the participants is established, implied and acknowledged. The design is described as "descriptive comparative," while the researcher aims to "determine the relationship." Note: It is better to use the term "correlational" or "cross-sectional correlational" if the goal is to examine only correlational relationships. We took direction from previous comparative studies and as we make reference to them we wished to maintain an easy comparison. However we have made alterations to the article which we hope reflect your suggestions and therefore, enhance the article. Result: The results are presented clearly, with statistical data such as p-values and OR values. However, the interpretation of these results could be made clearer, particularly regarding the relationship between chatbot use and depression/anxiety. Thank you for your suggestions and we have assimilated these into the alterations made from the original to the new version. Thank you. The measurement tools were mentioned in the results section, whereas they should be clearly described in the methodology section. We were encouraged to focus this material within the results section as it became a relevant part of the findings of the study. The researcher report that 63.5% of chatbot users experience depression, versus 36.7% of non-users, but offer no explanation. Discussion of causality versus correlation is essential. Include a section on the practical significance of findings (e.g., clinical implications, intervention planning) Recommendation: Authors should discuss the causal relationship between chatbot use and depression/anxiety. They should explore whether chatbot use causes mental health problems, or whether preexisting medical conditions (such as depression and anxiety) lead to increased chatbot use. This is a valid point and we thank you for raising this point. The emergence of causality was discussed by the participants and attributed to factors that they themselves identified. As the study was concerned to allow the participants to share their voice/narrative we relied on the participants mean making process of their experiences and we have now sought to enhance these relevant sections. Authors should include a section explaining the practical significance of the findings, particularly how the use of intelligent chatbots affects mental health outcomes, and the strength of these effects. The limitations of article length curtails such an expansive coverage but with editing with have included your suggestions which we hope you feel are relevant. Research question Q1: Define what constitutes "frequent use" (e.g., how many times per week/month?). Q2: Consider expanding the question to include other motivations (e.g., convenience, privacy, stigma avoidance). Q3: Consider moderating variables such as severity of symptoms or type of chatbot interaction (text/audio). (Setting and participants: Recommendation: It is important to determine how the sample size was calculated more precisely. For example, how was the required number from each college determined? Was there a proportional distribution among the different disciplines? Thank you for your suggestions and we have incorporated your suggestions into our article. RESULT: Data visualization can be enhanced by using a graph or chart to visually illustrate the distribution. Thank you, we have assimilated your suggestions into the relevant sections. Some explanation could be added about why these specializations (such as medicine, pharmacy, nursing) were chosen in particular and why a specific number of participants from each college was selected. Thank you and we have sought to provide a further explanation which we hope has addressed your suggestion. Again, thank you for your review. Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed. Close Report a concern COMMENT ON THIS REPORT Comments on this article Comments (0) Version 2 VERSION 2 PUBLISHED 07 Jul 2025 ADD YOUR COMMENT Comment keyboard_arrow_left keyboard_arrow_right Open Peer Review Reviewer Status info_outline Alongside their report, reviewers assign a status to the article: Approved The paper is scientifically sound in its current form and only minor, if any, improvements are suggested Approved with reservations A number of small changes, sometimes more significant revisions are required to address specific details and improve the papers academic merit. Not approved Fundamental flaws in the paper seriously undermine the findings and conclusions Reviewer Reports Invited Reviewers 1 2 Version 2 (revision) 06 Oct 25 read Version 1 07 Jul 25 read read Assisst .Prof Dr Iman Hussein Alwan , University of Baghdad/ College of Nursing, Baghdad, Iraq David C M Taylor , Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates Comments on this article All Comments (0) Add a comment Sign up for content alerts Sign Up You are now signed up to receive this alert Browse by related subjects keyboard_arrow_left Back to all reports Reviewer Report 0 Views copyright © 2025 Hussein Alwan A. This is an open access peer review report distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 07 Oct 2025 | for Version 2 Assisst .Prof Dr Iman Hussein Alwan , psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, University of Baghdad/ College of Nursing, Baghdad, Baghdad Governorate, Iraq 0 Views copyright © 2025 Hussein Alwan A. This is an open access peer review report distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. format_quote Cite this report speaker_notes Responses (1) Approved info_outline Alongside their report, reviewers assign a status to the article: Approved The paper is scientifically sound in its current form and only minor, if any, improvements are suggested Approved with reservations A number of small changes, sometimes more significant revisions are required to address specific details and improve the papers academic merit. Not approved Fundamental flaws in the paper seriously undermine the findings and conclusions I have reviewed the revised version of the manuscript and confirm that all previous comments and concerns have been adequately addressed by the authors. The revisions have improved the clarity, methodological transparency, and overall presentation of the study. I have no further comments to make, and I consider the article suitable for publication. Competing Interests No competing interests were disclosed. Reviewer Expertise , community Emotional Intelligence, psychiatric mental health, Psychological , educational, a ddication I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard. reply Respond to this report Responses (1) Author Response 09 Oct 2025 Dr. Richard Mottershead, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 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. kindest regards Dr. Richard Mottershead View more View less Competing Interests None reply Respond Report a concern Hussein Alwan APDI. Peer Review Report For: New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical & Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations] . F1000Research 2025, 14 :665 ( https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.188737.r420821) NOTE: it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in this citation. The direct URL for this report is: https://f1000research.com/articles/14-665/v2#referee-response-420821 keyboard_arrow_left Back to all reports Reviewer Report 0 Views copyright © 2025 Taylor D. This is an open access peer review report distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 18 Aug 2025 | for Version 1 David C M Taylor , Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates 0 Views copyright © 2025 Taylor D. This is an open access peer review report distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. format_quote Cite this report speaker_notes Responses (1) Approved info_outline Alongside their report, reviewers assign a status to the article: Approved The paper is scientifically sound in its current form and only minor, if any, improvements are suggested Approved with reservations A number of small changes, sometimes more significant revisions are required to address specific details and improve the papers academic merit. Not approved Fundamental flaws in the paper seriously undermine the findings and conclusions For the sake of clarity this report uses the “WADFISH” Scheme. WHY is this interesting? The mental health and well-being of students of the health professions is of crucial importance in maintaining recruitment into the health professions, and of course, for the students themselves. Increasing pressures within the workforce, and increasing student numbers, means that the time available for interpersonal contact between faculty and student is limited. One option used by the current generations of students is to resort to AI driven chatbots. This paper examines the extent and potential consequences of that approach. What was their AIM? The author’s aim was to identify the relationship between AI Chatbot usage and Stress, Anxiety and Depression levels among Health Sciences University students. Specifically their research questions were: RQ1. What are the frequencies of using the Chatbot among medical and health sciences university students? RQ2. What are the reasons for the usage of AI Chatbot to cope with depression, anxiety, and stress among Medical and Health Sciences Students? RQ3. Is there a relation between the usage of AI Chatbot and depression, anxiety, and stress among Medical and Health Sciences University Students? RQ4. Is there a difference between the group who is using Chatbot and the one who does not about depression, anxiety, and stress levels? What did they DO? The authors asked a stratified sample of health professions students to complete three inventories categorising their AI chatbot usability (Tool II), their score on the depression anxiety stress scale (DASS-21: Tool III), all related to their demographics (Tool I). The authors used standard statistical techniques in their analysis. In my opinion the analysis is sound. What did they FIND? The most used application was Snapchat. Participants who used Chatbots were significantly more likely to suffer from moderate to extremely severe depression than those who did not. The authors recognise that this is not necessarily a causal relationship. SO WHAT? AI Chatbots have the potential as a “helpful adjunct” to other interventions in helping students passing through mental health difficulties. HOW will this affect me, my institution, my students or patients? In my opinion the biggest issue is in helping students to understand more about the use of AI, whilst ensuring the more conventional support systems remain available. General Comments This is an interesting study, which has been well thought through and well executed. There are several spelling/typographical errors which need attention. “Chatbot” appears to have been automatically corrected to “Chabot” in several places. More confusingly in the data analysis and management section there appears the following: “A logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between the categorized DASS scores and periodontitis while adjusting for potential confounding factors”. Is there a typographical error there? Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature? Yes Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound? Yes Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others? Yes If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate? Yes Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility? Yes Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results? Yes Competing Interests No competing interests were disclosed. Reviewer Expertise My area of research is higher education, in particular in qualitative studies of lived experience.I have published several studies relating to AI. I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard. reply Respond to this report Responses (1) Author Response 11 Sep 2025 Dr. Richard Mottershead, Faculty of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 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 – Dr. Richard Mottershead. View more View less Competing Interests No competing interests were disclosed. reply Respond Report a concern Taylor DCM. Peer Review Report For: New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical & Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations] . F1000Research 2025, 14 :665 ( https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.183349.r399583) NOTE: it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in this citation. The direct URL for this report is: https://f1000research.com/articles/14-665/v1#referee-response-399583 keyboard_arrow_left Back to all reports Reviewer Report 0 Views copyright © 2025 Hussein Alwan A. This is an open access peer review report distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 18 Aug 2025 | for Version 1 Assisst .Prof Dr Iman Hussein Alwan , psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, University of Baghdad/ College of Nursing, Baghdad, Baghdad Governorate, Iraq 0 Views copyright © 2025 Hussein Alwan A. This is an open access peer review report distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. format_quote Cite this report speaker_notes Responses (1) Approved With Reservations info_outline Alongside their report, reviewers assign a status to the article: Approved The paper is scientifically sound in its current form and only minor, if any, improvements are suggested Approved with reservations A number of small changes, sometimes more significant revisions are required to address specific details and improve the papers academic merit. Not approved Fundamental flaws in the paper seriously undermine the findings and conclusions The article titled "New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical & Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study" Reviewer Comments: After reviewing the submitted manuscript, I would like to offer the following scientific explanations with the aim of improving the clarity, consistency, and academic contribution of the study. I reviewed all parts of the study, including the abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Abstract: The abstract is informative, but would benefit from explicitly stating the tools used for data collection. It is recommended to summarize the key statistical findings more clearly. Introduction: It is recommended to clarify the scientific gap more clearly by comparing Western literature with the Arab/Gulf environment, to highlight the contribution the study makes. The researcher did not precisely define these challenges. Challenges include: lack of resources, a shortage of mental health professionals, social stigma associated with mental health, and difficulty accessing healthcare. Recommendation: Add examples of other digital technologies being piloted in mental health care, and perhaps the growing role of artificial intelligence in mental health treatment in the Middle East. Some global statistics related to mental health, such as the number of individuals affected by depression and anxiety, support a global view of the mental health problem, but these statistics could be better contextualized in more detail with the reality of the Middle East. Methods: The names of the scales used to measure stress, anxiety, and depression are not mentioned. The tools should be clearly identified and explained in the methodology section, including their reliability, validity, and cultural adaptation, especially since the study is being conducted in the UAE, where cultural factors may influence results. There is insufficient demographic information about the sample : such as (Student age group, Ratio of males to females.) type of university is vague. if ethical approval permits clarify whether it is a public or private institution. The sample size (298) was mentioned, but the total population size was not mentioned. Tool III: DASS-21: Recommendation: The study could include more details on how the tool was administered to participants. For example, were participants given an explanation of how to answer the questions? Were the questions understandable to everyone, especially in a multicultural setting? The design is described as "descriptive comparative," while the researcher aims to "determine the relationship." Note: It is better to use the term "correlational" or "cross-sectional correlational" if the goal is to examine only correlational relationships. Result : The results are presented clearly, with statistical data such as p-values and OR values. However, the interpretation of these results could be made clearer, particularly regarding the relationship between chatbot use and depression/anxiety. The measurement tools were mentioned in the results section, whereas they should be clearly described in the methodology section. The researcher report that 63.5% of chatbot users experience depression, versus 36.7% of non-users, but offer no explanation. Discussion of causality versus correlation is essential. Include a section on the practical significance of findings (e.g., clinical implications, intervention planning) Recommendation: Authors should discuss the causal relationship between chatbot use and depression/anxiety. They should explore whether chatbot use causes mental health problems, or whether preexisting medical conditions (such as depression and anxiety) lead to increased chatbot use. Authors should include a section explaining the practical significance of the findings, particularly how the use of intelligent chatbots affects mental health outcomes, and the strength of these effects. Research question Q1: Define what constitutes "frequent use" (e.g., how many times per week/month?). Q2: Consider expanding the question to include other motivations (e.g., convenience, privacy, stigma avoidance). Q3: Consider moderating variables such as severity of symptoms or type of chatbot interaction (text/audio). (Setting and participants: Recommendation: It is important to determine how the sample size was calculated more precisely. For example, how was the required number from each college determined? Was there a proportional distribution among the different disciplines? RESULT: Data visualization can be enhanced by using a graph or chart to visually illustrate the distribution. Some explanation could be added about why these specializations (such as medicine, pharmacy, nursing) were chosen in particular and why a specific number of participants from each college was selected. There may be additional details about how these robots are used, such as the amount of time students spend interacting with the robots or the type of assistance they request Brief Overview This manuscript discovers the relationship between mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, and stress) and the use of AI-based chatbot platforms among medical and health sciences students in the United Arab Emirates. The theme is relevant and appropriate, lecturing the cumulative confidence on digital mental health tools in higher education. The research offerings important findings on the prevalence of mental health symptoms and the apparent worth of chatbots among students. General Comments The paper is usually well-written, with a coherent construction and a clearly defined aim. The use of a cross-sectional design is suitable; however, several methodological and structural aspects need improvement. Some inconsistencies started in the placement of key information, particularly about the measurement tools. The discussion is rich but could benefit from clearer comparisons with studies from similar cultural backgrounds. Despite these apprehensions, the study contributes valuable insights and is possible for journal after revisions. Specific Comments �� Title and Abstract The title is comprehensive and informative. The abstract summarizes the study sufficiently but would advantage from more clear mention of the main answers and statistical significance. �� Introduction The introduction successfully presents the topic and its significance. It is recommended to clarify early what constitutes “AI chatbot use” (e.g., frequency, purpose, platform). �� Methodology The methodology section should include a full description of the measurement tools (DASS-21 and other scales) with their psychometric properties and validity, instead of first introducing them in the results. The sampling technique and inclusion/exclusion criteria need clearer explanation. Ethical agreement is stated but could be more detailed in describing participant staffing. �� Results The results are presented logically and are supported by statistical analysis. However, tables need clearer formatting (e.g., add degrees of freedom where relevant, ensure consistent formatting of P-values). A brief explanation of what the odds ratio implies in practical terms would improve reader understanding. �� Discussion The discussion interprets the findings appropriately and links them with relevant literature. The resilience-focused approach a valuable is a useful addition but it requires clearer integration into the discussion. The researchers state that chatbot users presented higher depression and anxiety levels, but causality cannot be incidental—this should be more explicitly emphasized. �� Limitations The limitations are acknowledged properly. The influence of the author’s own interpretation is noted, which validates transparency. However, upcoming studies should consider triangulation or multi-site data to strengthen credibility. �� Conclusion and Implications The conclusion is aligned with the findings and suggests practical applications in clinical and university counseling settings. Recommendations for integrating chatbot use into mental health care are promising, but care should be taken not to overstate the current evidence base. �� Language and Style The manuscript is mostly written in clear academic English. Some grammatical inconsistencies and redundancy exist and should be addressed in editing (e.g., sentence structure, paragraph transitions). Approval Status Approved with reservations The article addresses an important and timely topic and offers relevant insights into AI chatbot use and student mental health. However, revisions are required in the methodology section (particularly in describing the measurement tools), results formatting, and some language editing. After these improvements, the manuscript will be suitable for acceptance. Is the work clearly and accurately presented and does it cite the current literature? Yes Is the study design appropriate and is the work technically sound? Yes Are sufficient details of methods and analysis provided to allow replication by others? Yes If applicable, is the statistical analysis and its interpretation appropriate? Yes Are all the source data underlying the results available to ensure full reproducibility? Yes Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the results? Yes Competing Interests No competing interests were disclosed. Reviewer Expertise , community Emotional Intelligence, psychiatric mental health, Psychological , educational, a ddication I confirm that I have read this submission and believe that I have an appropriate level of expertise to confirm that it is of an acceptable scientific standard, however I have significant reservations, as outlined above. reply Respond to this report Responses (1) Author Response 11 Sep 2025 Dr. Richard Mottershead, Faculty of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 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. Indeed, we feel confident that our subsequent article is greatly enhanced by assimilating your valid points and guiding our continuing research. Again, thank you and we hope our responses acknowledge the value we place in your peer-review report. Dr. Richard Mottershead Reviewer Comments: After reviewing the submitted manuscript, I would like to offer the following scientific explanations with the aim of improving the clarity, consistency, and academic contribution of the study. I reviewed all parts of the study, including the abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Abstract: The abstract is informative, but would benefit from explicitly stating the tools used for data collection. Thank you and we were constrained within the word limit within the abstract to omit certain information in order to meet the journal requirements. However, we have included your suggestions. It is recommended to summarize the key statistical findings more clearly. Thank you for your suggestion and the team has taken your point and assimilated it into the updated article. Introduction: It is recommended to clarify the scientific gap more clearly by comparing Western literature with the Arab/Gulf environment, to highlight the contribution the study makes. This is a key-interest within the research team and so your point is valid and has been adopted into the revised article – thank you. The researcher did not precisely define these challenges. Challenges include: lack of resources, a shortage of mental health professionals, social stigma associated with mental health, and difficulty accessing healthcare. Thank you for your comments and the article has been enhanced by your suggestion. Recommendation: Add examples of other digital technologies being piloted in mental health care, and perhaps the growing role of artificial intelligence in mental health treatment in the Middle East. We have listed some current examples that are linked to members of the research team but wanted to ensure that we maintained a focus on this study’s aims and objectives. Some global statistics related to mental health, such as the number of individuals affected by depression and anxiety, support a global view of the mental health problem, but these statistics could be better contextualized in more detail with the reality of the Middle East. We acknowledge your valid point and have made alterations within the article to reflect your valid points. Thank you. Methods: The names of the scales used to measure stress, anxiety, and depression are not mentioned. The tools should be clearly identified and explained in the methodology section, including their reliability, validity, and cultural adaptation, especially since the study is being conducted in the UAE, where cultural factors may influence results. There is insufficient demographic information about the sample: such as (Student age group, Ratio of males to females.) type of university is vague. if ethical approval permits clarify whether it is a public or private institution. The sample size (298) was mentioned, but the total population size was not mentioned. Thank you for your valid points but in order to maintain confidentiality were not able to be too specific as the number of institutions delivering these courses within the UAE is relatively small. We have made alterations which we hope will meet your suggestions. Tool III: DASS-21: Recommendation: The study could include more details on how the tool was administered to participants. For example, were participants given an explanation of how to answer the questions? Were the questions understandable to everyone, especially in a multicultural setting? There is some discussion of language and an effective method of engaging with the participants is established, implied and acknowledged. The design is described as "descriptive comparative," while the researcher aims to "determine the relationship." Note: It is better to use the term "correlational" or "cross-sectional correlational" if the goal is to examine only correlational relationships. We took direction from previous comparative studies and as we make reference to them we wished to maintain an easy comparison. However we have made alterations to the article which we hope reflect your suggestions and therefore, enhance the article. Result: The results are presented clearly, with statistical data such as p-values and OR values. However, the interpretation of these results could be made clearer, particularly regarding the relationship between chatbot use and depression/anxiety. Thank you for your suggestions and we have assimilated these into the alterations made from the original to the new version. Thank you. The measurement tools were mentioned in the results section, whereas they should be clearly described in the methodology section. We were encouraged to focus this material within the results section as it became a relevant part of the findings of the study. The researcher report that 63.5% of chatbot users experience depression, versus 36.7% of non-users, but offer no explanation. Discussion of causality versus correlation is essential. Include a section on the practical significance of findings (e.g., clinical implications, intervention planning) Recommendation: Authors should discuss the causal relationship between chatbot use and depression/anxiety. They should explore whether chatbot use causes mental health problems, or whether preexisting medical conditions (such as depression and anxiety) lead to increased chatbot use. This is a valid point and we thank you for raising this point. The emergence of causality was discussed by the participants and attributed to factors that they themselves identified. As the study was concerned to allow the participants to share their voice/narrative we relied on the participants mean making process of their experiences and we have now sought to enhance these relevant sections. Authors should include a section explaining the practical significance of the findings, particularly how the use of intelligent chatbots affects mental health outcomes, and the strength of these effects. The limitations of article length curtails such an expansive coverage but with editing with have included your suggestions which we hope you feel are relevant. Research question Q1: Define what constitutes "frequent use" (e.g., how many times per week/month?). Q2: Consider expanding the question to include other motivations (e.g., convenience, privacy, stigma avoidance). Q3: Consider moderating variables such as severity of symptoms or type of chatbot interaction (text/audio). (Setting and participants: Recommendation: It is important to determine how the sample size was calculated more precisely. For example, how was the required number from each college determined? Was there a proportional distribution among the different disciplines? Thank you for your suggestions and we have incorporated your suggestions into our article. RESULT: Data visualization can be enhanced by using a graph or chart to visually illustrate the distribution. Thank you, we have assimilated your suggestions into the relevant sections. Some explanation could be added about why these specializations (such as medicine, pharmacy, nursing) were chosen in particular and why a specific number of participants from each college was selected. Thank you and we have sought to provide a further explanation which we hope has addressed your suggestion. Again, thank you for your review. View more View less Competing Interests No competing interests were disclosed. reply Respond Report a concern Hussein Alwan APDI. Peer Review Report For: New Horizons in Higher Education: Examining the Mental Well-Being of Medical & Health Sciences Students Through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Based Chatbot Platforms in the United Arab Emirates – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations] . F1000Research 2025, 14 :665 ( https://doi.org/10.5256/f1000research.183349.r399588) NOTE: it is important to ensure the information in square brackets after the title is included in this citation. 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