How Can Artificial Intelligence Support Therapists?
New Technologies in the Service of Mental Health
New technologies are increasingly making their presence felt in psychotherapy and psychological diagnostics. They are changing not only the forms of contact with patients but, above all, are supporting therapists in their daily work. A qualitative study conducted in Poland using the Delphi method indicates that the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in clinical psychology will continue to grow – not to replace therapists, but to provide them with powerful tools for working with patients.
Transcription and Analysis of Sessions as Real Help in the Office
One of the most promising applications of AI is the automatic transcription of recordings from therapeutic sessions and clinical interviews. It provides therapists with precise documentation without the need for manual note-taking or listening to recordings. Moreover, advanced algorithms are capable of automatically detecting important language patterns – for example, recurring depression-related words, changes in speech tone, or even pauses and accelerated speech tempo, which may indicate heightened anxiety or manic excitation.
In the study by Kubecka et al., experts predict that “[algorithms] can learn what tends to be problematic for a given person” and may serve “to catch issues that need to be worked on as they occur.” This means that AI can support clinicians in identifying topics that require intervention during the therapeutic process.
Tracking Psychological Changes Over Time
Another extremely important aspect is the ability to continuously monitor psychological changes in patients over time. Experts note that analyzing patients’ language, behavior, and activity (e.g., online, in apps, or in everyday speech) can help track their mental state and detect deterioration or improvement even before they report it themselves. As noted in the study:
“[It is possible] to monitor online activity (...), changes in psychomotor drive in the course of these disorders could be clearly reflected in data collected by smartphones.”
This enables early detection of depression relapses, manic episodes, or deterioration in other disorders, allowing the therapist to respond more quickly and adjust treatment if necessary.
Support, Not Replacement
Although some fear that technology might “dehumanize” the therapeutic relationship, researchers and practitioners believe this is unlikely. Experts consistently agree that direct contact with a real human being remains irreplaceable:
“The professions of psychologist and psychotherapist will not be replaced by technological solutions. Technologies will rather be used as a complementary and supportive element of these processes.”
This means that AI is meant to support the therapist – for example, by analyzing data from previous sessions, reminding about topics raised by the patient, identifying patterns, or suggesting additional diagnostic tools.
Conditions for Effective and Safe Implementation
To fully leverage the potential of AI in mental health, data security must be ensured. Experts clearly emphasize the need to protect patient privacy and to use data ethically. Necessary measures include:
- data and recording encryption,
- anonymization and de-identification of content,
- responsible use or non-use of patient data for training AI models,
- full patient consent for processing their information,
- secure data processing in compliance with GDPR.
As the study’s authors emphasize, psychologists and therapists should be aware of both the possibilities and limitations of new technologies. Their goal should not be to avoid them, but rather to use them wisely, ethically, and consciously for the benefit of their patients.
Source:
Kubecka, A., Książek, J., Styła, R. The Future of New Technologies in Psychological Diagnosis and Psychotherapy: A Qualitative Analysis Based on the Delphi Method. Psychiatria, 2021, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 275–281. DOI: 10.5603/PSYCH.a2021.0004.
https://journals.viamedica.pl/psychiatria/article/view/PSYCH.a2021.0004
Emothly supports mental health specialists by offering innovative tools for transcription, analysis, and generation of clinical notes to improve patient care.
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