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psychologist kami winkelspecht As patients began asking her for advice on how to use technology responsibly, she decided to familiarize herself with artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and Gemini.
“One of the interesting questions we're getting, especially from kids and teens, is how can we use AI to support things like ideas and the editing process for papers, assignments, presentations, etc., but also to make sure we're not using AI to write things for us? [so] “Make sure you're not violating the school's honor code,” says Winkelspecht, a child and adolescent psychologist who practices in Wilmington, Delaware.
“So I, too, started experimenting to see what these tools would do,” she says, so she could feel “confident and comfortable” with her own understanding of these platforms and their benefits and risks.
Winkelspecht ranks among 56% of psychologists these days Survey by American Psychological Association People using AI tools in their practice. This was significantly higher than the 29% who responded similarly last year. Additionally, nearly one-third of respondents said they use these tools monthly, more than doubling since last year.
Winkelspecht is incorporating AI into some of her office and administrative tasks, such as creating templates for letters she sends to school and pediatrician colleagues. It saves you time, but also allows you to write and edit letters each time.
Most psychologists say they are using AI to “help compose emails, help write homework, help with report writing, and utilize AI scribes to assist with document writing.” bail lightSenior Director of APA's Office of Healthcare Innovation.
“Psychologists see potential opportunities to incorporate AI into their practices by increasing work efficiency. We think this could have the downstream effect of reducing burnout and reducing aspects of the workplace that people don't particularly enjoy,” she added. “That would give them more time to actually provide patient care. So I think this is very promising.”
As more psychologists adopt AI tools, there is also a growing awareness of them, especially when it comes to patient safety and data privacy, Wright said.
A majority of psychologists say they are concerned about the potential harms of this technology, with more than 60% saying they are concerned about potential data breaches, biased input/output, and social harm. Many also expressed concern about the illusion that platforms fabricate facts or present inaccurate information.
“What is clear to us is that we need to continue to help provide both resources to our members so that they can incorporate these types of technologies effectively and responsibly,” Wright says. “And we need to ensure that these technologies are regulated in a way that maximizes their capacity, safety and effectiveness.”
