The idea of a conversational artificial intelligence therapist is as old as ELIZA, the very first chatbot created in 1966, which emulated a client-centered therapy approach. New research on conversational agents revealed their effectiveness as Internet-based intervention tools that treat and even prevent depression.
The enormous potential of chatbots in reducing and preventing depression was discovered by scientists from MohrLab.
Many interpersonal interactions are hard for teens and adults. If they are reluctant to see a therapist, they can talk to online virtual therapists that teach various motivational problem-solving skills to prevent depression. Professor David Mohr, director of the Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies and a professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University, claims that game-like virtual humans tend to be more engaging than ordinary office-based therapists. Moreover, such Internet-based intervention tools are easily accessible and inexpensive in comparison to standard solutions.
Step by step, the use of conversational agents is becoming increasingly critical in healthcare. Not to mention relational agents helping in schizophrenia treatment, virtual nurses preparing patients for discharge, and virtual patients serving as training tools for emotionally charged situations.
Related Chatbot: Eliza
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