In 2024, MQ Mental Health Research created an opportunity, developed and financed by Welcometo support researchers outside psychiatry, psychology and neuroscience to apply bold and novel ideas and methods from their discipline to mental health science. In this transdisciplinary research grant series, we will analyze each study and explain why the results are vital to the future of mental health interventions.
Art therapy stands out as an intervention because it allows people to express their thoughts and emotions through creating art, which can often be easier than using words. However, some people find using crafts like paints or clay challenging. With the rise of creative AI tools that can create works of art with just a few text prompts, there are new ways for people to express themselves artistically, even if they are not confident in their artistic abilities or face physical limitations.
People living with mental health problems have expressed great interest in seeing more research into how digital technologies could be integrated into existing psychological treatments. According to a 2022 report from the James Lind Alliance, many patients want access to therapies that combine traditional approaches with the convenience and innovation of modern technology.
What did the research involve?
To understand how creative AI and art therapy could work together, Dr. Alison Pease and her team reviewed books, articles and reports on previous efforts to use technology in creative mental health therapies, including studies in which computers and people worked together to create art. During this process, they also gathered ideas from therapists and patients about the potential benefits and challenges of involving AI in the creative process.
During the review process, Alison’s team prioritized people with lived experience of mental health issues in key roles, helping to identify important issues, such as how to ensure AI tools are safe and supportive in therapeutic settings. Their unique contributions gave researchers a realistic view of who could benefit most from these technologies.
What did they learn?
One of the most significant outcomes of this project has been fostering better understanding between computer science specialists and art therapists. Although both fields think about creativity in different ways, working together is important to ensure that AI tools for therapy are not only innovative but also useful and helpful to patients.
What are the next steps?
For example, AI tools must be carefully designed to assist, rather than replace, the human connection that is so central to therapy. They should also be accessible so that people with different levels of comfort with technology can use them. Most importantly, these tools must respect the sensitive nature of therapy while allowing users to feel supported and in control.
