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Synapse
May 29, 2026European journal of psychotraumatology0 citationsOpen Access

Perceived opportunities and risks of using deepfake technology in grief treatment: a qualitative study among Dutch bereaved people and mental health care workers

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JOJip Martijn van OostrumDADefne AkalınLLLonneke I.M. Lenferink

Key Points

  • The study aims to explore perceptions of deepfake technology's potential benefits and risks in grief treatment among bereaved individuals and mental health care workers.
  • Qualitative interviews conducted with bereaved individuals and mental health care workers.
  • Participants discussed hypothetical uses of deepfake technology in grief therapy.
  • Ethical considerations and therapeutic safeguards were assessed.
  • Bereaved individuals saw potential for reconnection with deceased loved ones.
  • Mental health care workers expressed concerns that deepfakes might hinder natural grief processing.
  • Both groups agreed on the importance of ethical application and therapist guidance.

Abstract

Bereaved people valued opportunities for reconnection with the deceased, while MHCWs warned that such reconnection might impede grief processing. Both groups agreed that deepfakes may have therapeutic value if applied ethically, under therapist guidance, and with safeguards. Because participants were asked about hypothetical use, results reflect perceptions, not clinical effectiveness. Our findings underscore the need for ethical guidelines to balance bereaved people's needs with professional responsibility when exploring the therapeutic effects of deepfake technology in treatment.

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Cite This Study

Oostrum et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a192c67fab5b468c44153a1https://doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2026.2663660
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