Mental Health Professionals’ Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence in Mental Health Services: A Cross-Sectional Study in Pakistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21649/akemu.v31iSpl2.6142Keywords:
Mental Health Professionals, Artificial Intelligence, mental health services, Pakistan.Abstract
Background: Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents a promising avenue to address mental health challenges in lower-middle-income countries like Pakistan, where stigma, limited access, and workforce shortages persist. Despite its potential to enhance service delivery and reduce clinician burden, little is known about mental health professionals’ (MHPs) perspectives on AI integration.
Objective: To assess the awareness, perceptions, and concerns of MHPs in Pakistan regarding the use of AI in mental health services.
Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted among MHPs across Pakistan, following ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board of King Edward Medical University, Lahore. Data were collected between a month after IRB approval, using a structured, self-administered online questionnaire covering demographics, AI familiarity, perceived benefits, ethical concerns, and readiness to adopt AI. A total of 125 responses were gathered through convenience and snowball sampling. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS.
Results: The majority of respondents were female (78%), aged 18–30 years (58%), and primarily from Punjab. Doctors comprised 51% of the sample. While 73.6% were familiar with AI, only 5.6% had any formal training related to AI. Chatbots were the most recognized tool (67%). Perceived benefits included workload reduction (62.4%) and improved access (60.8%), though concerns about ethics (64%) and diagnostic accuracy (63.2%) were prevalent. Most (53.6%) supported AI use only with human oversight. High interest was observed in AI use for personal well-being (87%) and workplace tasks (69%).
Conclusion: MHPs in Pakistan express cautious optimism toward AI in mental health, emphasizing the need for training, ethical safeguards, and regulatory support.
References
1. Bell IH, Thompson A, Valentine L, Adams S, Alvarez-Jimenez M, Nicholas J. Ownership, use of, and interest in digital mental health technologies among clinicians and young people across a spectrum of clinical care needs: cross-sectional survey. JMIR Ment Health. 2022;9(5):30716. doi.org/10.2196/30716
2. Doraiswamy PM, Blease C, Bodner K. Artificial intelligence and the future of psychiatry: insights from a global physician survey. Artif intell med. 2020102:101753. doi.org/10.1016/j.artmed.2019.101753
3. Cross S, Bell I, Nicholas J, Valentine L, Mangelsdorf S, Baker S, et al. Use of AI in mental health care: community and mental health professionals survey. JMIR Ment Health. 2024 ;11(1):60589. doi.org/ 10.2196/60589.
4. Choudhry FR, Khan N, Munawar K. Barriers and facilitators to mental health care: A systematic review in Pakistan. Int J Ment Health. 2023;52(2):124-62. doi.org/10.1080/00207411.2021.1941563
5. Mahesar RA, Ali SA, Shoib S, Babar Khan M, Ventriglio A. Mental health services in Pakistan. Int Rev of Psychiatry. 2024;1-6. doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2024.2391796
6. Nicholas J, Bell IH, Thompson A, Valentine L, Simsir P, Sheppard H,et al. Implementation lessons from the transition to telehealth during COVID-19: a survey of clinicians and young people from youth mental health services. Psychiatry Res. 2021;299:113848. doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113848
7. Rahsepar Meadi M, Sillekens T, Metselaar S, van Balkom A, Bernstein J, Batelaan N. Exploring the ethical challenges of conversational AI in mental health care: scoping review. JMIR Ment Health. 2025;12:60432. doi.org/10.2196/60432.
8. Blease C, Worthen A, Torous J. Psychiatrists’ experiences and opinions of generative artificial intelligence in mental healthcare: An online mixed methods survey. Psychiatry Res. 2024;333:115724. doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115724.
9. Gültekin M, Şahin M. The use of artificial intelligence in mental health services in Turkey: What do mental health professionals think?. Cyberpsychology: Cybersp J Psychosoc Res. 2024;18(1). doi.org/10.5817/CP2024-1-6.
10. Grassini S. Development and validation of the AI attitude scale (AIAS-4): a brief measure of general attitude toward artificial intelligence. Front psychol. 2023;14:1191628. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1191628
11. Troup J, Fuhr DC, Woodward A, Sondorp E, Roberts B. Barriers and facilitators for scaling up mental health and psychosocial support interventions in low-and middle-income countries for populations affected by humanitarian crises: a systematic review. Int J Ment Health Syst. 2021; 15:1-4. doi.org/10.1186/s13033-020-00431-1
12. Pandya A, Lodha P, Ganatra A. Is ChatGPT ready to change mental healthcare? Challenges and considerations: a reality-check. Front Hum Dyn. 2024; 11:1289255. https://doi.org/10.3389/fhumd.2023.1289255.
13. Singh OP. Artificial intelligence in the era of ChatGPT-Opportunities and challenges in mental health care. Indian J Psychiatry. 2023;65(3):297-8. doi.org/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_112_23
14. Thakkar A, Gupta A, De Sousa A. Artificial intelligence in positive mental health: a narrative review. Front Digit Health. 2024;18(6):1280235. doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2024.1280235
15. Javed A, Afzal M. Era of Artificial Intelligence & Enhancing Human Capabilities Ann King Edw Med Univ. 2025; 31:6165. doi.org/10.21649/akemu.v31iSpl2.6165
16. Imran N, Rasheed R. Human Touch in a Digital World: The Enduring Value of Soft Skills in AI-Driven Healthcare. Ann King Edw Med Univ.2025; 31:6162. doi.org/10.21649/akemu.v31iSpl2.6162
17. Imran N, Tariq K. Artificial Intelligence and Gender-Based Violence: A Double-Edged Sword in the Fight for Justice and Equality. Annals of King Edward Medical University. 2025; 31:1. doi.org/10.21649/akemu.v31i1.6079
18. Martinez-Martin N. Minding the AI: ethical challenges and practice for AI mental health care tools. Artificial intelligence in brain and mental health: Philosophical, ethical & policy issues.2022;111-125. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74188-4_8.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Annals of King Edward Medical University
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This is an open-access journal and all the published articles / items are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. For comments publications@kemu.edu.pk