It seems like a new AI advancement gets released every 17.2 seconds. We’re just trying to be cute – that’s not based on actual data. But things are moving incredibly fast. A recent study found one effective AI therapist chatbot actually made clients feel appreciated and experience fewer mental health difficulties.
Now, we’ve been about AI for a bit. For the past few years, research has has known that clients feel heard by AI therapists and form an alliance with them. This may seem surprising to some. Are the machines really taking over?
Other studies have found some preliminary evidence that a few effective AI therapists actually reduce general distress and mild mental health symptoms. A recent study on the AI chatbot “Therabot” found that clients experience a sense of therapeutic alliance and that it is effective in reducing marked mental health symptoms.
This finding is important for multiple reasons. First, the study was a randomized-control trial (RCT) with many participants that measured multiple outcomes. So it used solid methods! Second, seeing combined effects of therapeutic alliance and symptom reduction in the same study makes results more robust and convincing.
Lastly, this research is one of the first studies to show that an effective AI therapist reduced marked symptoms of multiple diagnosed conditions. Results showed decreases in major depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms after using it for a defined period of time. It also reduced signs and symptoms of eating disorders.
But all this is also relatively confusing. The burgeoning AI therapist revolution has left many therapists either wondering about the future relevance of their work or asking how to integrate AI with their practice. We cannot tell the future, but bridge has discussed recommendations about integrating AI.
Some recommendations concern using AI chatbots to boost therapist resources. For instance using them after hours or when clients live far away. AI may also provide support and practice for new skills while therapy is led by a human. Additionally, human therapists should take a primary role for more severe mental health difficulties and suicidal ideation.
One thing is clear, however. These advancements will inevitably change the mental health and medical fields. They already are! Most experts believe there will always be a need for human therapists. But time will tell the specific roles we play and the degree to which this makes therapists lives easier. At bridge, we will certainly continue to nerd-out about it.
