Prof. Emily M. Bender(she/her)Arghh - more problematic reporting, this time about robo-therapists.
A thread:
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For the first ~1500 words, exactly 0 people with expertise in psychotherapy are quoted.
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They talk up the idea that this is effective because people are more willing to open up to a "bot" than a real person. BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THAT DATA?
(This finally comes up 1000 words further down the article.)
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The only studies cited are co-authored by the companies selling this crap.
One of the supposedly positive findings is that people form a "therapeutic alliance" with the bots within "just five days". Not sure how that is measured, but also what happens when the bot can't follow through on what a therapeutic alliance is supposed to be?
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trdebunked@emilymbender testing and marketing the efficacy of placebos but with more steps.