Dr. Chatbot?

Florida Atlantic researchers conducted the first review of studies on AI systems meant to deliver motivational interviewing (MI), a patient-centered counseling method that helps people find their own motivation to change.

Results, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, show that while chatbots and virtual agents show promise in mimicking MI, few have been rigorously evaluated for consistency, long-term impact or fidelity to the full counseling approach, according to Maria Carmenza Mejia, MD, senior author and a professor, Charles E. Schimdt College of Medicine.

The study revealed that most of the existing tools focus on psychological outcomes like increased readiness to change or feeling understood, rather than measuring actual behavior change over time, she said.

“Users appreciated the convenience and structure of AI systems but often missed the ‘human touch’ and complex relational dynamics of face-to-face counseling,” Mejia said.

Read the press release.