College is tough.
Your brain deserves backup.

Kay AI is a mobile app that helps you notice when your emotional pattern is shifting—and guides you back toward steadiness in the moment.


College is a lot: juggling classes, figuring out who you are, managing your own schedule, dealing with roommates, and pretending you have it all together.



Kay helps you check in, make sense of what's going on, and try a simple next step that actually helps.



THE STUDY

Evaluating the effectiveness of Kay AI on reducing psychological distress during exam periods

Exam periods are stressful—we get it. 


We're testing whether Kay AI, a mental health app designed specifically for crisis prevention, can help University of Minnesota students manage stress, sleep better, and feel more grounded during exams. This is a research study led by Whitney Ringwald at the University of Minnesota in partnership with KindPath Health. We're recruiting about 300 UMN undergraduate students to participate in a 4-week study during an upcoming exam period.


Frequently asked questions

  • What are we measuring?

    We want to know if using Kay AI daily during exams helps with:


    • Stress levels (using the Perceived Stress Scale)
    • Anxiety and depression symptoms (standard mental health questionnaires)
    • Sleep quality (how well you're sleeping during the chaos)
    • Daily mood and coping (tracked through the app)

    We'll compare students who use the app to students who receive information about standard UMN mental health resources.

  • What will I do?

    If you're selected for the Kay AI group:


    Complete 3 short online surveys (baseline, midpoint, and after exams) — about 10-15 minutes each


    • Use the Kay AI app during your exam period (3 weeks)
    • Quick AM and PM check-ins (about 3 minutes each)
    • Get personalized coping strategies based on how you're feeling
    • Use Kay, our AI chatbot

    If you're in the control group:


    • Complete the same 3 surveys
    • Receive info about UMN counseling and wellness resources
    • Get access to Kay AI after the study ends (as a thank you)

    Optional (Both Groups):


    Join a 60-minute focus group to share your thoughts on mental health support for students


    Total time commitment: About 3-4 weeks during your exam period

  • What will I get?

    Everyone who completes the study receives:


    • One-year Kay AI subscription (valued at $199)
    • Kay AI swag bag (tote, journal, wellness items)
    • Optional course research credit (if your class offers it — 300 REP points for control group, 1200 REP points for intervention group)

    Early withdrawals still get:

    • The swag bag (because we appreciate your time)
    • Partial credit (if applicable)

  • Who can join?

    You're eligible if you:


    • Are an undergraduate student at UMN
    • Are 18 or older
    • Own a smartphone (iPhone or Android)
    • Can read English
    • Have exams coming up during the study period
    • Haven't experienced a mental health crisis in the past 6 months

  • Why should I participate?

    For You:


    • Get free access to a mental health app designed to help you stay ahead of crisis
    • Learn strategies to manage exam stress
    • Contribute to research that could help future students

    For Science:


    • Help us understand what actually works for student mental health
    • Test whether AI + ML guided daily check-ins can prevent crisis before it happens
    • Shape the future of accessible mental health support

Ready to join?

Join Study

What you get with Kay

  • A quick check-in to help you name what you’re feeling (without writing a diary entry)

  • Real support in the moment when things start to feel heavier

  • Evidence-based tools to calm down, reset, and keep going

  • A space to talk things through with Kay when you don’t want to text 12 people “idk I’m just weird today”

  • Optional therapist connection: if you have a therapist, you can choose to connect Kay so they can better understand what’s been going on between sessions


No judgment. No vibes-only advice. Just support you can actually use.

Features

Spot when something feels “off.”

Kay helps you notice early changes in your mood and stress—before it turns into a full-on spiral or a 3am crisis.

Understand what's driving it

Instead of "I don't know, everything sucks," Kay helps you connect the dots (sleep, overwhelm, isolation, homesickness, academic pressure, social anxiety, etc.).

Try a next step that actually helps

Kay offers simple, practical tools in the moment—like a quick reset, grounding, or a reframe—so you can feel steadier fast.


Build real stability over time.

It's not just about surviving today. Kay helps you create patterns that make hard semesters easier to handle.

Bring receipts to therapy

If you use campus counseling or have a therapist, you can connect Kay so they can see what's been going on between sessions—so you're not trying to summarize your entire month in 45 minutes.