Computationally intelligent workflow for improved psychotherapy interventions: an ontology-based approach

Advancements of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been vividly used in numerous spectrums of healthcare to support the medical staff. However, use of AI in psychotherapy is very primitive. This research focuses on the effective usage of AI to aid psychotherapeutic activities. The proposed rationale has been developed on key psychological principles with the involvement of mental healthcare practitioners. A composition of multiple ontological structures has been designed to boost the operational accuracy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) procedures and human trait assessment. Designed computerized workflow overcomes several barriers associated with traditional psychotherapeutic procedures. The proposed mechanism has been tested with 27 consultants with the involvement of patients in an anonymized manner after resolving the ethical implications. Overall, the proposed workflow yielded an accuracy over 80%. Increased testing and the incorporation of more consultant knowledge are necessary to ensure the stability of this computerized smart workflow. This study advances the field of computational psychotherapy while developing novel patient-centered treatment strategies.