Artificial Intelligence as a Training Tool in Clinical Psychology: A Comparison of Text-Based and Avatar Simulations

TL;DR

This study compares text-based and voice-based AI simulations for training clinical psychology students, finding that voice-based avatars are perceived as more useful and engaging, potentially enhancing early clinical skills development.

Contribution

It provides empirical evidence on the perceived effectiveness of AI-driven simulations, highlighting the added value of voice-based avatars over text-based chatbots in clinical training.

Findings

Voice-based avatars rated higher for usefulness and skill application.

Participants reported greater perceived skill improvement with avatars.

Both AI tools were generally rated positively by students.

Abstract

Clinical psychology students frequently report feeling underprepared for the interpersonal demands of therapeutic work, highlighting the need for accessible opportunities to practise core counselling skills before seeing real clients. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) now enable simulated interaction partners that may support early skills development. This study examined postgraduate clinical psychology students' perceptions of two AI-based simulations: a text-based chatbot (ChatGPT) and a voice-based avatar (HeyGen). Twenty-four students completed two brief cognitive-behavioural role-plays (counterbalanced), one with each tool, and provided both quantitative ratings and qualitative feedback on perceived usefulness, skill application, responsiveness and engagement, and perceived skill improvement. Both AI tools were evaluated positively across dimensions. However, the avatar was rated significantly higher than the chatbot for perceived usefulness, skill application, and perceived skill improvement, and qualitative comments highlighted the added value of voice-based interaction for conveying social and emotional cues. These findings suggest that AI-driven simulation may supplement early-stage clinical skills training, with voice-based avatars offering additional benefits. Future work should test whether such simulated interactions translate to objective improvements in real therapeutic performance.