SHE-bot: An AI Chatbot to support U.S.-based Chinese-origin women facing intimate partner violence
Official title: SHE-bot: Developing an AI Chatbot to Support U.S.-Based Women of Chinese Origin Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence
Funded at University of Texas at Austin · NIH-11441815 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new AI chatbot called SHE-bot aims to help Chinese-origin women in the U.S. cope with intimate partner violence by offering culturally respectful mental health support and safety resources.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas at Austin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Austin, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $246,160 |
| NIH project number | 1R21NR022352-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11441815 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women of Chinese origin in the U.S. who experience intimate partner violence and seek mental health support.
✕Less likely to help
Women without IPV-related needs or those not seeking AI-based support may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project develops an AI-powered chatbot to deliver the Self-Compassion, Health, and Empowerment (SHE) program to women of Chinese origin who experience IPV. The chatbot will provide relaxation techniques, self-compassion exercises, and guidance for coping with depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms in a linguistically and culturally appropriate manner. It is designed for easy access, scalability, and sustainability within real-world settings, with a focus on safety and user empowerment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the SHE-bot could make culturally tailored IPV support more accessible and reduce mental health symptoms for participants.
How similar studies have gone: Similar digital mental health tools have shown promise, but this is a novel culturally tailored approach for a specific population.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Li, Yang — University of Texas at Austin
- Study coordinator: Li, Yang
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.