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Testing Conversational Agents as a Digital Companion

Friendi.fi Corporation · with National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), University of Louisville · NCT07533331

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Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 18–35 · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted (a condition is required)
Study type
Interventional · Not applicable
Target enrollment
38
US sites recruiting
3
Study start
March 21, 2026
Record last updated
April 16, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

There is a need and opportunity to improve the supports, transitions, and life outcomes of people with autism spectrum disorder. Compared to their neurotypical peers, autistic teenagers and adults report poorer mental health and quality of life and have higher rates of unemployment or underemployment and low participation in post-secondary education. Nearly 40% spend little or no time with friends. Although autism awareness has grown considerably in recent decades, much more can be done to improve the life outcomes for people with autism. Cost-effective, affordable and scalable support systems are needed as well as ongoing assessments and personalized support plans that focus on individual strengths and challenges in different contexts (college, work, community life) across the life span. This requires adaptive interventions and regular consultation with and between stakeholders. It also requires a rigorous approach to measuring outcomes that are not one-size-fits-all and do not expect everyone to reach, or have, the same goals. To meet these needs, the investigators leverage an already successful technology platform with two conversational-relational agents to be a digital companion and coach to autistic young adults (AYA, ages 18 to 35 years). The technology will be used to scale a strong theoretical and conceptual approach that has proven successful in meeting the individual needs and personalized outcomes of autistic students through a collaborative consultation model for promoting competency and success (COMPASS) combined with Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS). To deliver personalized coaching, empathy, and outcomes at scale, GAS/COMPASS was translated into software-driven evidence-based coaching protocols in collaboration with clinical, academic, and community partners. In this study, the digital coaching program and all research protocols are pilot tested in a 10-week experiential trial with AYA.

Being studied: self-directed goal coaching

Conditions: Autism

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • formal autism diagnosis per qualified professional.
  • holds a job, volunteers, or attends college/vocational school where they participate in regular course work, classrooms, settings.
  • drives or independently uses public transportation/ride share.
  • makes medical decisions and manages finances.
  • purchases groceries and cooks meals.
  • engages in leisure activities with peers.
  • reads and comprehends spoken and written English.
  • able to complete surveys and informed consent independently.
  • able and willing to identify a trusted informant (such as a good friend, parent proxy or mentor who knows them well) for additional context, if needed.

(11) 24/7 access to a personal mobile phone with SMS text capability.

Exclusion Criteria

  • an intellectual disability.
  • serious mental illness requiring psychiatric evaluation, intervention or in-patient hospitalizations in the past month.
  • suicidal ideation or attempts in the past month.
  • diagnosed sleep disorder in the past month.
  • pregnancy.
  • planned absences that interfere with study participation.

Recruiting US locations

  • Indiana Institute on Disability and Community

    Bloomington, IN 47408

    Site contact: Judith Gross, PhD · 812-855-7484 · jmsgross@iu.edu

  • Ball State University

    Muncie, IN 47306

    Site contact: Evette Simmons-Reed, PhD · 765-285-2762 · easimmonsree@bsu.edu

  • Norton Children's Autism Center502-588-0736 x 50608

    Louisville, KY 40202

    Site contact: Grace Kuravackel, PhD · 502-588-0736 · grace.kuravackel@louisville.edu

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Chantal Kerssens, PhD · 404-282-0378 · chantal@friendi.fi
  • Cheri Maggard, MA · 404-282-0378 · cheri@friendi.fi
All mental health studies in Indiana →
Testing Conversational Agents as a Digital Companion (NCT07533331) | Bored Studies