Psychology · Applied Psychology
In interviews, 42 U.S. adults aged 45 and older with chronic pain and symptoms of depression or anxiety described what would make mental-health apps useful to them. They favored clear practical benefits, strong privacy protections and customizable support over gamification or extensive passive data collection.
An AI model predicted suicidal thoughts and behaviors more accurately than traditional statistical methods among a group of 3,901 Taiwanese university students. The researchers say its interpretable design could support screening, but the study does not show whether using the model improves care or prevents suicide-related outcomes.
In a randomized study of 388 university students in China, an AI counseling agent improved perceived rapport and willingness to disclose. It recognized general risks better, but was less reliable with crisis-level disclosures, pointing to a supporting role alongside trained counselors.
A national U.S. survey found that 24% of adults use general-purpose AI chatbots for mental health. Researchers estimate that 14–18 million U.S. adults may use these tools for mental health in 2024, and that users report poorer mental health and greater difficulty accessing traditional care.
Generative AI chatbots are increasingly used by young people for mental health support, but their safety for suicide-risk situations is not well understood. In a review, researchers found that existing studies often test chatbots with simple, one-turn questions and that results worsen when risk is indirect or gradually revealed.
