Is your patient chatting with AI? new tool guides psychiatrists on assessing patients' AI use
As AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude become everyday tools, more people are turning to them not just for work or education, but for companionship, emotional support and mental health advice. To help doctors navigate this rapidly changing landscape, researchers have introduced a practical guide called the AWARE framework, published by JMIR Publications in the journal JMIR Medical…
With AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude becoming commonplace tools for many, individuals are increasingly using them for more than just work or education. Some turn to these virtual companions for emotional support and mental health advice. To assist doctors in navigating this evolving landscape, researchers have introduced the AWARE framework, published in JMIR Medical Education.
This practical guide offers mental health care providers a structured set of questions to discuss patients' AI habits, motivations, and emotional connections during routine appointments.
Lead author Alexandre Hudon, along with co-authors, developed the AWARE framework – which stands for AI Use, Why, Attachment, Reality and Risk, and Effect on Functioning – to give clinicians a nonjudgmental way to explore five key areas. The framework helps doctors understand how often a patient uses AI, why they use it, how emotionally attached they feel to it, potential risks to their perception of reality, and the overall impact on their daily life and relationships.
The authors stress that AI is becoming an integral part of patients' mental health journeys, and clinicians need a structured approach to assess its role without judgment.
As chatbots increasingly influence how people manage stress and make decisions, understanding these interactions is crucial for effective treatment planning and clinical risk assessment. Rather than a rigid test, AWARE equips doctors to engage in open conversations about AI use, fostering a better understanding of how these virtual companions impact patients' well-being.
The researchers emphasize that incorporating AI assessments into medical training through simulations and clinical supervision will enable doctors to provide safer, more personalized care. By fostering these discussions, healthcare professionals can support patient recovery in an increasingly digital world.
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