Research on the construction of an adaptive mindfulness-based cognitive therapy system based on large language models and its efficacy in addressing college students’ anxiety
Yunlong Jia
Frontiers in Psychology October 16, 2026 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1800278 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 120 |
| Population | College students with anxiety disorders |
| Measures | Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ) |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | An adaptive MBCT system using large language models was associated with lower anxiety (SAS 38.26 vs 45.89), higher mindfulness (MAAS 68.73 vs 56.41), and lower automatic-thought scores (ATQ 42.15) compared with a control group among 120 college students with anxiety. The authors conclude the system may be effective in reducing anxiety symptoms, improving mindfulness, and enhancing cognitive processes. |
Abstract
To handle the problem of resource scarcity and lack of personalization and adaptability in the traditional approach to mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) in dealing with college students with anxiety disorders, this study proposes the use of the natural language interface and adaptability properties of large language models (LLMs) to come up with an intelligent college-level MBCT intervention system. To begin with, the system functional requirements and the logic of the system intervention were explained in line with the fundamental ideas of MBCT and the cognitive features of students with anxiety. Second, it was created through a four-stage adaptive architecture that includes perception analysis, intervention, and feedback, providing a dynamic process for user status identification, personal generation of intervention plans, and real-time optimization of the intervention process. Finally, there was a randomized controlled trial whose subjects were 120 college students with anxiety who were separated into an experimental group and a control group. The effectiveness of the intervention was assessed using tools such as the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ). The findings indicated that the SAS score of the experimental group (38.26 ± 5.12) was significantly less than that of the control group (45.89 ± 6.34), the MAAS score (68.73 ± 7.25) was significantly higher than that of the control group (56.41 ± 8.13); and the ATQ score (42.15 ± 6.08) was significantly less than that of the control group. The study reveals that an adaptive MBCT system using large language models may be effective in reducing anxiety symptoms among college students, improving mindfulness, and enhancing cognitive processes, offering a new, readily available strategy for addressing anxiety in college students.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 4
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- Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Meditation for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Effects on Anxiety and Stress Reactivity The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry March 13, 2013
- Mindfulness based cognitive therapy for psychiatric disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research September 16, 2010
- The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Therapy on Anxiety and Depression: A Meta-Analytic Review Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology April 1, 2010