Who's willing to lay on the virtual couch? Attitudes, anthropomorphism and need for human interaction as factors of intentions to use chatbots for psychotherapy
Tudor-Daniel Huțul, Alexandru Popescu, Adina Karner-Huțuleac, Andrei Corneliu Holman, Andreea Huțul
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Abstract
Background
The rising demand for psychotherapy exceeds therapist availability, often due to financial or physical proximity constraints. Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly through chatbots, presents a promising solution, having shown efficacy in enhancing mental health.
Aims
This study investigated the psychotherapeutic relationship in the context of using chatbots for psychotherapy, in which the intimate and emotionally involving nature of the relationship might render the need for human interaction a strong deterrent to people's acceptance of anthropomorphised chatbots.
Methods
This study included four hundred ninety-four participants, aged 15 to 69 years (M = 22.77; SD = 8.43); 75.1% of them were females. They completed scales that measure attitudes towards the use of chatbots in psychotherapy, AI and seeking professional psychological help, need for human interaction in psychotherapy, importance of anthropomorphic qualities and intentions to use chatbots in psychotherapy.
Results
Individuals' engagement in using chatbots in psychotherapy is related to their attitudes towards chatbots and towards AI in general, not only to the importance that they place on chatbots having anthropomorphic traits, but also to the strength of their needs for human interaction in the psychotherapeutic relationship.
Conclusion
Technology can enhance the psychotherapeutic process, but should not replace therapists entirely for people who seek psychological assistance.
期刊介绍：
Counselling and Psychotherapy Research is an innovative international peer-reviewed journal dedicated to linking research with practice. Pluralist in orientation, the journal recognises the value of qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods strategies of inquiry and aims to promote high-quality, ethical research that informs and develops counselling and psychotherapy practice. CPR is a journal of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, promoting reflexive research strongly linked to practice. The journal has its own website: www.cprjournal.com. The aim of this site is to further develop links between counselling and psychotherapy research and practice by offering accessible information about both the specific contents of each issue of CPR, as well as wider developments in counselling and psychotherapy research. The aims are to ensure that research remains relevant to practice, and for practice to continue to inform research development.
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