# Online tool for adolescents' self-control practice: a pilot study

## TL;DR

A pilot study shows an AI-based online tool can improve self-control in adolescents, particularly those with higher impulsivity.

## Contribution

The study introduces an AI-guided, game-based intervention that effectively reduces impulsivity in drama students.

## Key findings

- Drama students showed significantly higher impulsivity compared to informatics students.
- The AI-guided intervention led to statistically significant improvements in self-control among drama students.
- The tool shows promise for improving psychological resilience and addressing behavioral issues in adolescents.

## Abstract

Self-control is essential for youth navigating today’s technological and lifestyle challenges. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers scalable, personalized approaches to improve self-regulation through medical and educational interventions. This pilot research was conducted over a period of five months and structured into two studies, each comprising four phases. The first study included 180 adolescents, divided into two equal samples, to examine whether impulsivity varies according to high school profile. One group was drawn from Grigore Moisil Informatics College (theoretical high school), and the other from the National College of Arts Dinu Lipatti (vocational arts high school). Impulsivity was initially assessed using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS). Drama students showed significantly higher levels of impulsivity, guiding the development of a targeted AI-driven (neural network-based) self-control intervention. The second study focused on the drama student cohort. Over the course of three months, the group participated in an online, AI-guided self-control education program. BIS was re-administered at the end of the intervention to measure changes. Pre-intervention data confirmed significantly higher impulsivity among drama students. Following the AI-based intervention, the group showed statistically significant improvements in self-control. The findings support the effectiveness of AI tools in fostering self-regulatory skills among adolescents and highlight their potential in health education and mental wellness, especially for anxiety, behavioral issues, and mild depression. The AI-guided, game-based cognitive training significantly reduced impulsivity in drama students, demonstrating its promise as a tool for improving adolescent self-control and psychological resilience.