Students with special educational needs account for 13% of mainstream public school students and are on the rise, according to a 2024 estimate from the Hong Kong SAR Education Bureau.
Yet, as more resources are devoted to supporting students with diverse abilities, the emotional well-being of their parents is often neglected.
A survey conducted by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) revealed more than 30% of parents of children with learning challenges reported moderate or high levels of anxiety or depression.
To address this issue, a research team led by Dr Connie Chong – Assistant Professor at the CUHK Nethersole School of Nursing – has developed a mobile app that integrates counselling techniques based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
The ACT method helps people deal with psychological stress by accepting difficult feelings and thoughts rather than resisting or avoiding them.
Named “Pai”, the chatbot integrates OpenAI’s natural language processing with ACT counselling approaches and a Cantonese vocabulary database to evaluate the user’s emotional state in real time.
Following an accurate assessment, the app can then simulate empathetic communication and positive psychology techniques, providing a level of emotional support that closely resembles real-life interaction.
By integrating nearly 20,000 dialogue records between ACT counsellors and parents, Pai can ensure both analytical precision and cultural relevance.
With funding from the Hong Kong SAR Innovation and Technology Commission, Dr Chong and her team formally established a company named ACTuWISE Limited.
After training and practice, the system has achieved an accuracy rate of over 80% in real-time analysis of psychological inflexibility within the ACT framework.
“Our service exceeds many general mental health AI tools developed overseas by focusing on the local context and integrating clinical practice, cross-language processing and automated decision-making,” stated Dr Chong.
In recognition of this breakthrough, the company was named one of the winners of the 2025 Start-up Express programme organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).
The app has also been granted patents in China and the US and has received awards at international exhibitions, such as the Geneva International Invention Fair and Hong Kong ICT Awards.
When tech meets therapy
The system works by assessing parents’ psychological inflexibility and levels of depression, anxiety and stress through a question-and-answer format and then employs the ACT approach to offer suggestions.
If the tool identifies that a parent may pose a threat to themselves or a child, it automatically connects the user with a standby counsellor for in-person assistance.
The researcher emphasises that her goal is not to replace counsellors, but to supplement their professional judgement and expedite immediate interventions when needed.
Currently, the app’s two main user groups are families of children requiring special support and counselling professionals who use it for training and practice.
To widen its base, Dr Chong plans to cooperate with local healthcare groups, schools and social welfare organisations to promote the tool through seminars, workshops and webinars.
She admits the concept is relatively new and will take time for the market to grasp.
Additional expansion opportunities include developing mental health solutions for other demographics, such as the elderly and youth, as well as offering versions in different languages.
She also plans to launch the service in Shanghai and in other cities near Hong Kong. Further afield, communities across Asia are potential launch sites.
For now, though, the start-up aims to raise US$1 million for technology upgrades, staff recruitment and market expansion.
Winning Start-up Express will help ACTuWISE boost visibility as will taking part in HKTDC events.
In May, Dr Chong was a featured speaker on AI applications in healthcare at HKTDC’s Asia Summit on Global Health and the start-up showcased its innovation at the Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair.
The inventor said the HKTDC’s support – including business matching, investor networking and international marketing opportunities – has been pivotal in the company’s development.
Looking ahead, Dr Chong believes that technology will not only enhance the quality of mental health services, but also promote social inclusion and equity.
“I hope to contribute this innovation to the world, so that every family needing help can receive the care and professional support they deserve.”