Evaluating Generative AI Psychotherapy Chatbots Used by Youth: Cross-Sectional Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many youth rely on direct-to-consumer generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) chatbots for mental health support, yet the quality of the psychotherapeutic capabilities of these chatbots is understudied.

Objective

This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate and compare the quality of widely used GenAI chatbots with psychotherapeutic capabilities using the Conversational Agent for Psychotherapy Evaluation II (CAPE-II) framework.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, trained raters used the CAPE-II framework to rate the quality of 5 chatbots from GenAI platforms widely used by youth. Trained raters role-played as youth using personas of youth with mental health challenges to prompt chatbots, facilitating conversations. Chatbot responses were generated fro

SUBMITTER: Sobowale K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12694945 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature