Tinnitus chatbot trial found improvements in distress and mood
Both apps improved anxiety and depression relative to a waiting list. Only the tinnitus-specific app's tinnitus distress reduction was described as clinically meaningful.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
In this abstract-based trial, tinnitus distress fell in both chatbot groups, but only the tinnitus-specific app's reduction was described as clinically meaningful. Both apps improved anxiety and depression compared with waiting-list control. These results concern symptom scores during the intervention; the abstract does not report whether the improvements persisted after it ended.
The abstract gives no effect sizes, confidence intervals or threshold for a clinically meaningful tinnitus improvement. It also provides no quantified direct comparison between the apps, limiting claims about whether tailoring itself added benefit.
What researchers found
Tinnitus-related distress (Tinnitus Functional Index)
From baseline to 8 weeks, only the tinnitus-specific chatbot was reported to achieve a clinically meaningful reduction. Both chatbot groups had lower distress scores; the abstract gives no between-chatbot effect estimate.
What the apps delivered
The apps delivered internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy. Tinnibot focused on tinnitus, while Woebot addressed mood and anxiety more generally. The primary outcome was tinnitus-related distress, with several mental health and well-being measures also assessed.
Keep the outcomes separate
The tinnitus-specific app also showed a statistically significant improvement in insomnia severity. Mindfulness and life satisfaction changes were modest, with no detected differences between groups. The abstract does not establish that the apps were equivalent on these outcomes.
The original publication
App-based conversational agents for tinnitus distress and mental health: A randomised controlled trial.
Jackson JG, Yeates F, Morris B et al.
Internet Interv · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 42023129
- Record checked
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