[Therapist augmentation by generative AI: concept and implementation of the GAINED feedback system at Osnabrück University].

Authors

Christopher Lalk, Tobias Steinbrenner, Julian Rubel

Published in

Psychotherapie (Heidelberg, Germany). Volume 71. Issue 5. Pages 359-365. Epub Jun 29, 2026.

Abstract

The increasing widespread use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is opening up new areas of application in psychotherapy. These include 1) chatbots for direct interaction between patients and AI, 2) training applications for therapists, in which therapists can practise with simulated AI patients and 3) augmentation applications, in which therapists are supported by automated documentation or feedback and decision-making tools. At the same time, there are ethical risks due to data protection issues, harmful output and secondary use of clinical models. At the psychotherapy outpatient clinic of the University of Osnabrück we are developing a new approach to therapist augmentation using an AI-supported feedback application, taking these risks into account. Based on robust incremental effects of feedback in psychotherapy as well as established research on the automatic identification of therapeutic constructs in psychotherapy transcripts, therapists receive feedback on intervention quality and mechanisms of action. The feedback is discussed with the patients to promote informed shared decision-making. Technical details as well as ethical and clinical aspects of implementation are presented. Finally, an outlook on future developments and evaluation of the feedback application are provided.

PMID:
42725172
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 12 Sep 2026.

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