Patients are bringing AI to therapy (2026 Chatbots and Mental Health Survey)

Key Findings

• — 77% of psychologists report patients discussing AI use in therapy; 39% had patients who used AI for self-diagnosis and 35% report patients turning to AI to act as an additional mental health professional
• — 36% of psychologists report patients developing dependency on chatbots; 15% report patients developing distorted thinking or delusions; 22% report patients using chatbots for friendship and 13% for intimate relationships
• — 97% of psychologists say chatbots may inadvertently reinforce negative behaviors or delusional beliefs, and 89% say chatbots may inadvertently encourage self-harm

Methodology Notes

Online survey fielded 2026-04-09 to 2026-04-26. APA's press release (2026-06-16) reports 1,242 licensed US psychologists as the analytic base, a 6.3% completion rate from 22,000+ invited; the published topline data tables list 1,576 total respondents (1,526 licensed), with per-question bases varying. Self-selection limitations apply. Report landing page dated June 2026; the 2026-06-16 press-release date is used as the publication date. Verified via the APA report page, press release, and topline-data PDF (all apa.org).

Sources