THE ROLE OF AI IN PREDICTING MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS: A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY PERSPECTIVE

Introduction/Importance of Study: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has recently become a powerful tool for different disciplines including healthcare. One of the new possibilities it opens up in clinical psychology is its ability to forecast mental health disorders. This paper aims to discover the healthcare professionals, artificial intelligence specialists, and psychologists’ perceptions about the use of AI in the forecast of mental health disorders. Novelty Statement: This study aims to evaluate the current EU professional awareness, efficacy impression, and ethical and regulatory standpoint required for AI application on mental health prediction forecasts efficiently in a quantitative manner. Material and Methods: The study design employed was cross-sectional in nature and data was gathered from 250 professionals with the use of a structured questionnaire instrument. The survey included questions about participants’ awareness of AI, its efficiency in their workplaces, their concerns about privacy and ethical issues as well as their opinion about strict regulation in this sphere. Data analysis tools that were used included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis as well as regression models. Results and Discussion: A moderate level of awareness of AI is realized through low awareness of AI in mental health. A total of 11 participants were interviewed, self has been noted to have positive views about the use of AI but there is concern about privacy, trust, and the ethical use of artificial intelligence in diagnosing mental health disorders. A majority viewed that regulation on the use of AI in this area should be enhanced. What these results indicate is that although there might be numerous possibilities for having AI, there are crucial areas of concern in terms of trust, privacy, and accuracy. Conclusion: The integration of AI into mental health has the benefit of reaching a large number of people, yet, the barriers need to be resolved, in terms of ethical issues, implementation of a clearer and transparent approach to be established, and trust from mental health professionals.