Artificial Intelligence for Psychotherapy: A Review of the Current State and Future Directions
Purpose of the Review: Psychotherapy is crucial for addressing mental health issues but is often limited by accessibility and quality. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers innovative solutions, such as automated systems for increased availability and personalized treatments to improve psychotherapy....
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/02537176241260819 |
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| _version_ | 1849408064605650944 |
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| author | Mirza Jahanzeb Beg Mohit Verma Vishvak Chanthar K. M. M. Manish Kumar Verma |
| author_facet | Mirza Jahanzeb Beg Mohit Verma Vishvak Chanthar K. M. M. Manish Kumar Verma |
| author_sort | Mirza Jahanzeb Beg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose of the Review: Psychotherapy is crucial for addressing mental health issues but is often limited by accessibility and quality. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers innovative solutions, such as automated systems for increased availability and personalized treatments to improve psychotherapy. Nonetheless, ethical concerns about AI integration in mental health care remain. This narrative review explores the literature on AI applications in psychotherapy, focusing on their mechanisms, effectiveness, and ethical implications, particularly for depressive and anxiety disorders. Collection and Analysis of Data: A review was conducted, spanning studies from January 2009 to December 2023, focusing on empirical evidence of AI’s impact on psychotherapy. Following PRISMA guidelines, the authors independently screened and selected relevant articles. The analysis of 28 studies provided a comprehensive understanding of AI’s role in the field. The results suggest that AI can enhance psychotherapy interventions for people with anxiety and depression, especially chatbots and internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy. However, to achieve optimal outcomes, the ethical integration of AI necessitates resolving concerns about privacy, trust, and interaction between humans and AI. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the potential of AI-powered cognitive-behavioral therapy and conversational chatbots to address symptoms of anxiety and depression effectively. The article highlights the importance of cautiously integrating AI into mental health services, considering privacy, trust, and the relationship between humans and AI. This integration should prioritize patient well-being and assist mental health professionals while also considering ethical considerations and the prospective benefits of AI. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0f9916eb584345b899ee2ab91ef88b80 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0253-7176 0975-1564 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-0f9916eb584345b899ee2ab91ef88b802025-08-20T03:35:53ZengSAGE PublishingIndian Journal of Psychological Medicine0253-71760975-15642025-07-014710.1177/02537176241260819Artificial Intelligence for Psychotherapy: A Review of the Current State and Future DirectionsMirza Jahanzeb Beg0Mohit Verma1Vishvak Chanthar K. M. M.2Manish Kumar Verma3 Dept. of Psychology, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India. Dept. of Psychology, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India. Dept. of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, New Delhi, India. Dept. of Psychology, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India.Purpose of the Review: Psychotherapy is crucial for addressing mental health issues but is often limited by accessibility and quality. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers innovative solutions, such as automated systems for increased availability and personalized treatments to improve psychotherapy. Nonetheless, ethical concerns about AI integration in mental health care remain. This narrative review explores the literature on AI applications in psychotherapy, focusing on their mechanisms, effectiveness, and ethical implications, particularly for depressive and anxiety disorders. Collection and Analysis of Data: A review was conducted, spanning studies from January 2009 to December 2023, focusing on empirical evidence of AI’s impact on psychotherapy. Following PRISMA guidelines, the authors independently screened and selected relevant articles. The analysis of 28 studies provided a comprehensive understanding of AI’s role in the field. The results suggest that AI can enhance psychotherapy interventions for people with anxiety and depression, especially chatbots and internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy. However, to achieve optimal outcomes, the ethical integration of AI necessitates resolving concerns about privacy, trust, and interaction between humans and AI. Conclusion: The study emphasizes the potential of AI-powered cognitive-behavioral therapy and conversational chatbots to address symptoms of anxiety and depression effectively. The article highlights the importance of cautiously integrating AI into mental health services, considering privacy, trust, and the relationship between humans and AI. This integration should prioritize patient well-being and assist mental health professionals while also considering ethical considerations and the prospective benefits of AI.https://doi.org/10.1177/02537176241260819 |
| spellingShingle | Mirza Jahanzeb Beg Mohit Verma Vishvak Chanthar K. M. M. Manish Kumar Verma Artificial Intelligence for Psychotherapy: A Review of the Current State and Future Directions Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine |
| title | Artificial Intelligence for Psychotherapy: A Review of the Current State and Future Directions |
| title_full | Artificial Intelligence for Psychotherapy: A Review of the Current State and Future Directions |
| title_fullStr | Artificial Intelligence for Psychotherapy: A Review of the Current State and Future Directions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Artificial Intelligence for Psychotherapy: A Review of the Current State and Future Directions |
| title_short | Artificial Intelligence for Psychotherapy: A Review of the Current State and Future Directions |
| title_sort | artificial intelligence for psychotherapy a review of the current state and future directions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/02537176241260819 |
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