JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Conversational Artificial Intelligence (CAI) is increasingly used in various counselling settings to deliver psychotherapy, provide psychoeducational content, and offer support like companionship or emotional aid. Research has shown that CAI has the potential to effectively address mental health issues and provide mental health support to a wider population than conventional face-to-face therapy, and at a faster response rate and more affordable cost. Despite CAI’s many advantages in mental health support, potential users may differ in their willingness to adopt and engage with CAI to support their own mental health.

Objective:

This study focused specifically on dispositional trust in AI and attachment styles, and examined how they are associated with individuals’ intentions to adopt CAI for mental health support.

Methods:

A cross-sectional survey of 239 American adults was conducted. Participants were shown a vignette on CAI use and surveyed on their subsequent adoption intentions towards CAI. Participants had not previously used CAI for digital counselling and mental health support.

Results:

Dispositional trust in AI emerged as a critical predictor of CAI adoption intentions (p < .001), while attachment anxiety (p = .035), rather than avoidance (p = .094), was found to be positively associated with the intention to adopt CAI counselling after controlling for age and gender.

Conclusions:

These findings indicated higher dispositional trust might lead to stronger adoption intention, and higher attachment anxiety might also be associated with greater CAI counselling adoption. Further research into users’ attachment styles and dispositional trust is needed to understand individual differences in CAI counselling adoption for enhancing the safety and effectiveness of AI-driven counselling services and tailoring interventions.