MSUPE Experts Discuss the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Psychological Assistance to Children and Families
On October 16, as part of the First International Interdisciplinary Conference "Artificial Intelligence in Psychology: Exchange of Experience and Development Prospects", organized by the Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences with the participation of the Moscow International Academy, a session was held on "Artificial Intelligence as a Resource for the Development of Psychological Assistance to Children and Families".
The moderators of the session were representatives of Moscow State University of Psychology and Education — Sergey Gennadievich Kosaretsky, Vice-Rector for Scientific Work, Candidate of Psychological Sciences, and Olga Leonidovna Yurchuk, Deputy Head of the Federal Coordination Center for Ensuring the Development of Psychological and Pedagogical Assistance in the Education System of the Russian Federation (FCC MSUPE), Candidate of Psychological Sciences.
The session examined the possibilities and limitations of applying artificial intelligence technologies in psychological diagnostics, counselling, and support for children, adolescents, and families. Special attention was paid to the use of intelligent systems for identifying psychological risks, analyzing behavior in the digital environment, supporting children and adolescents in difficult life situations, and introducing modern digital tools into psychological assistance practice.
The session was attended by representatives of scientific, educational, and medical organizations: Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, HSE University, Perm State National Research University, Moscow City Pedagogical University, Moscow Psychological and Social University, Kemerovo State University, and the G.E. Sukhareva Scientific and Practical Center for Mental Health of Children and Adolescents of the Moscow Department of Health.
MSUPE representatives Olga Alexandrovna Ulyanina, Head of the FCC, and Olga Leonidovna Yurchuk, Deputy Head of the FCC, presented a report "Artificial Intelligence in Psychological Practice and Education". The presentation examined the possibilities of the digital educational service "Digital Psychologist", the results of using the chatbot "My Compass" and the development of the "Partner" application, as well as issues of automated psychodiagnostics, distance counselling, and ensuring the safety of psychological assistance in the digital environment. Elena Valeryevna Vershinkina, psychologist of the distance counselling sector "Child Helpline" of the emergency psychological assistance department of the FCC, examined issues of parasocial attachment to conversational artificial intelligence, its capabilities in psychological support, and the risks of social substitution.
The session concluded with a scientific discussion on the prospects and limitations of using artificial intelligence in psychological assistance to children and families.
The work of the session emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary interaction for the development of modern approaches to psychological assistance to children and families. The presented research and exchange of professional experience allowed identifying promising directions for the application of digital technologies, as well as actualizing issues of scientific validity, effectiveness, and safety of using artificial intelligence in psychological practice.
