ArticleBMC psychology2025
Investigating psychotherapists' attitudes towards artificial intelligence in psychotherapy.
Article in BMC psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed.
- Patient experience and psychologists' attitudes toward AI in psychological treatment: A topic-modeling study.Internet interventions · 2026Article
- Human Touch vs. Tech Talk: Mental Health Clinicians' Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence in Systemic Practice.Journal of marital and family therapy · 2026Article
- Clinicians' Attitudes and Perceptions on the Adoption of AI in Mental Health Care: Scoping Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- [Artificial intelligence in sychotherapy-Attitudes and competencies of medical and psychological psychotherapists].Der Nervenarzt · 2026Article
- The unintended negative consequences of artificial intelligence use for psychologists.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Heterogeneity in AI attitudes, anxiety, and acceptance among psychology students and psychotherapy trainees: a domain-specific latent class analysis.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- From promise to practice: artificial intelligence in mental health care in the MENA region.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Review
- Who Wants to Have an AI Therapist? Acceptance of Using Artificial Intelligence for Mental Health Interventions Among Clinicians, Patients and the General Community.Clinical psychology & psychotherapyArticle
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe increasing prevalence of mental health disorders, compounded by a global shortage of psychotherapists, highlights the need for innovative solutions such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Learning (ML) applications. These technologies have demonstrated potential in diagnostics, treatment personalization, and therapy optimization. However, their integration into psychotherapeutic practice requires understanding psychotherapists' attitudes toward AI/ML, which remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate these attitudes, focusing on factors influencing AI acceptance and perceived usefulness.
methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 181 licensed psychotherapists in Germany, recruited via the German Psychotherapeutical Association's online directory. The survey assessed attitudes toward AI/ML, technical affinity, and perceptions of AI's utility across psychotherapeutic tasks. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to identify predictors of AI acceptance.
resultsPositive attitudes toward AI/ML were significantly predicted by its perceived usefulness in conducting diagnoses and creating personalized treatment plans. Empathic support, while rated lower in terms of enhancing therapy, was still a significant predictor across all groups. Technically affine therapists associated AI with benefits in diagnostics, whereas non-affine therapists emphasized empathic support and relapse prediction.
conclusionNegative attitudes toward AI/ML application are discussed in a frame of fears of professional replacement and limited understanding of AI/ML technologies. Overall, 40% of the sample self-identified as not technically inclined, suggesting a knowledge gap in AI/ML that might influence attitudes. Education could emerge as a critical factor in addressing fears and uncertainties surrounding AI/ML. Emphasizing the irreplaceable human qualities of psychotherapists may also alleviate fears of obsolescence.
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