Stockholm University study: AI feedback nearly as effective as human therapists in alleviating social anxiety
A randomized controlled trial involving Stockholm University in Sweden showed that among 263 adults with social anxiety symptoms undergoing 9 weeks of online cognitive behavioral therapy, AI feedback reviewed by psychologists and human therapist feedback were similarly effective in alleviating social anxiety, with no significant differences found on the social phobia scale assessment. The study also concealed the true source of the feedback from some participants, finding that although participants had higher expectations of human therapists, most had difficulty accurately distinguishing after treatment whether the feedback came from AI or a human. The results have been published in the online journal Internet Interventions.
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The study used a randomized controlled trial to compare AI feedback with human therapist feedback, and examined how participants' expectations about the source affected their judgments of efficacy.
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On October 25, a recent study involving Stockholm University in Sweden showed that in the treatment of social anxiety, feedback generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and feedback provided by human therapists have similar effects in alleviating social anxiety symptoms.
According to a news bulletin recently released by Stockholm University, the study conducted a randomized controlled trial with 263 adults with social anxiety symptoms. Participants received a 9-week online cognitive behavioral therapy, completed weekly exercises according to instructional materials, and received feedback written by human therapists or AI feedback reviewed by psychologists regarding their exercise performance.
To investigate whether people's perceptions of AI affect treatment outcomes, the researchers concealed the true source of the feedback from some participants. For example, some participants thought they were receiving replies from human therapists, but the replies were actually generated by AI; other participants experienced the opposite.
The results showed that participants did indeed have higher expectations of human therapists, but regardless of whether the feedback came from AI or human therapists, the degree of reduction in social anxiety was almost the same. In the Social Phobia Scale assessment, which measures the severity of social anxiety, no significant difference in efficacy was observed between the two. After treatment ended, most participants also found it difficult to accurately distinguish whether the feedback came from AI or human therapists.
The relevant research results have been published in the international online journal Internet Interventions.