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June 20, 2026Open Access

Toward Accessible Psychotherapy Training Using AI-Driven Interactive Patient Avatars

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Authors

PRPascal RiachiSKSofie KamberSBStella Brogna

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Overview

Randomized trial shows enhanced feedback during psychotherapy training, indicating potential for scalable solutions.

Key Points

  • The study aims to improve psychotherapy training by using AI-driven virtual patients for realistic practice and feedback.
  • Developed a system using large language models to simulate patient behavior based on real therapy profiles.
  • An automated evaluator provided turn-by-turn feedback on therapist responses according to ACT fidelity criteria.
  • Evaluated the effectiveness of feedback by analyzing 49 therapy transcripts.
  • GPT-4o-mini achieved the lowest mean absolute error (MAE = 6.12) compared to human supervisor ACT fidelity ratings.
  • Immediate feedback increased therapists' awareness of their intervention choices.
  • Expert evaluations confirmed high realism in patient behavior simulation.

Cite This Study

Riachi et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a362e91db0793dc1a536384https://doi.org/10.1109/ichi69079.2026.00124
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  4. 4Artificial Intelligence-generated Feedback as a Training Tool for Enhancing Psychotherapy Skill2026 · 2 citations
  5. 5Multimodal Avatars and Human Simulations in Teaching Practical Skills and Training of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Related Mental Health Specialists2026