ChatGPT is not ready yet for use in providing mental health assessment and interventions

Abstract

BackgroundPsychiatry is a specialized field of medicine that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental health disorders. With advancements in technology and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), there has been a growing interest in exploring the potential of AI language models systems, such as Chat Generative Pre-training Transformer (ChatGPT), to assist in the field of psychiatry.ObjectiveOur study aimed to evaluates the effectiveness, reliability and safeness of ChatGPT in assisting patients with mental health problems, and to assess its potential as a collaborative tool for mental health professionals through a simulated interaction with three distinct imaginary patients.MethodsThree imaginary patient scenarios (cases A, B, and C) were created, representing different mental health problems. All three patients present with, and seek to eliminate, the same chief complaint (i.e., difficulty falling asleep and waking up frequently during the night in the last 2°weeks). ChatGPT was engaged as a virtual psychiatric assistant to provide responses and treatment recommendations.ResultsIn case A, the recommendations were relatively appropriate (albeit non-specific), and could potentially be beneficial for both users and clinicians. However, as complexity of clinical cases increased (cases B and C), the information and recommendations generated by ChatGPT became inappropriate, even dangerous; and the limitations of the program became more glaring. The main strengths of ChatGPT lie in its ability to provide quick responses to user queries and to simulate empathy. One notable limitation is ChatGPT inability to interact with users to collect further information relevant to the diagnosis and management of a patient’s clinical condition. Another serious limitation is ChatGPT inability to use critical thinking and clinical judgment to drive patient’s management.ConclusionAs for July 2023, ChatGPT failed to give the simple medical advice given certain clinical scenarios. This supports that the quality of ChatGPT-generated content is still far from being a guide for users and professionals to provide accurate mental health information. It remains, therefore, premature to conclude on the usefulness and safety of ChatGPT in mental health practice.

Innovations in Medicine: Exploring ChatGPT’s Impact on Rare Disorder Management

“…In many cases, the chatbot answers with a disclaimer about "I am not a doctor, but" [24]; in other cases, it advises the patient to consult professional healthcare for evaluation on the necessity of medication. For example, in an assessment of theoretical psychological cases with sleep disorders, ChatGPT suggested a treatment plan based on non-pharmacological interventions [102]. This answer is not only in line with current guidelines [103], but it is also safe for the patients, because the suggestion of a pharmacological treatment was strictly correlated to the necessity of a medical consultation [102].…”

“…For example, in an assessment of theoretical psychological cases with sleep disorders, ChatGPT suggested a treatment plan based on non-pharmacological interventions [102]. This answer is not only in line with current guidelines [103], but it is also safe for the patients, because the suggestion of a pharmacological treatment was strictly correlated to the necessity of a medical consultation [102].…”

Integrating Psychological Care in Sports Injury Rehabilitation: A Comprehensive Mini-Review

“…Machine learning algorithms can analyze data from wearable biosensors and smartphone apps to detect early signs of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and poor sleep in recovering athletes (46,47). Chatbot counselors with natural language processing can provide basic emotional support or cognitive behavioral therapy to improve coping and adherence to rehabilitation plans (48). It is important to note, however, that these AI-driven chatbots are speculative in their application and are not intended to replace human interaction but rather to serve as a supportive tool (48)(49)(50).…”

“…Chatbot counselors with natural language processing can provide basic emotional support or cognitive behavioral therapy to improve coping and adherence to rehabilitation plans (48). It is important to note, however, that these AI-driven chatbots are speculative in their application and are not intended to replace human interaction but rather to serve as a supportive tool (48)(49)(50). Their role is envisioned as supplementary, assisting healthcare professionals in monitoring and responding to patients' needs more efficiently (48,49).…”

Using artificial intelligence for exercise prescription in personalised health promotion: A critical evaluation of OpenAI’s GPT-4 model

“…By integrating large-scale data analytics with machine learning algorithms, these AI-powered systems can generate personalised recommendations in various fields, including nutrition [ 18 ], mental health [ 19 , 20 ], and fitness [ 4 , 21 ]. Nevertheless, these technologies also harbour their own set of limitations [ 22 – 24 ], such as the lack of empathetic human touch, privacy concerns, and challenges in transforming broad guidelines into individualised recommendations.…”