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  4. Long-Term Engagement with Empathetic Chatbots: Assessing Trust, Retention, and Sentiment Evolution in Digital Banking

Long-Term Engagement with Empathetic Chatbots: Assessing Trust, Retention, and Sentiment Evolution in Digital Banking

MMC.
2025;
Volume 12, Number 4
: pp. 1189–1198
Received: March 27, 2025
Revised: October 29, 2025
Accepted: November 05, 2025

Kasbouya M., Sael N.  Long-Term Engagement with Empathetic Chatbots: Assessing Trust, Retention, and Sentiment Evolution in Digital Banking.  Mathematical Modeling and Computing. Vol. 12, No. 4, pp. 1189–1198 (2025) 

Authors:
  1. M. Kasbouya
  2. N. Sael
1
Information Technology and Modeling Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences Ben M'sick, Hassan II University
2
Information Technology and Modeling Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences Ben M'sick, Hassan II University

Empathetic chatbots enhance user satisfaction in digital banking, yet their long-term impact on trust and retention remains underexplored.  This study evaluates whether initial satisfaction translates into sustained engagement.  Two chatbot versions — empathetic and non-empathetic — were assessed through empirical user testing.  Short-term results showed the empathetic chatbot significantly improved interaction ease, issue comprehension, and overall satisfaction ($p<0.001$).  Longitudinal analysis ($T=0.9410$, $p=0.3543$) found no significant trust difference between new and returning users, indicating rapid trust development.  Sentiment analysis revealed increased positive sentiment over time, with returning users exhibiting higher positivity (35) than new users (11).  Clustering analysis identified high-trust and moderate-trust user groups with retention potential.  These findings highlight the need for chatbots that foster both immediate satisfaction and long-term engagement.   Future research should explore adaptive chatbot interactions that align with user behavior and cultural expectations.

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