AI Systems in Text-Based Online Counselling: Ethical Considerations Across Three Implementation Approaches
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arXiv
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2026
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| _version_ | 1866908763139604480 |
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| author | Steigerwald, Philipp Burghardt, Jennifer Rudolph, Eric Albrecht, Jens |
| author_facet | Steigerwald, Philipp Burghardt, Jennifer Rudolph, Eric Albrecht, Jens |
| contents | Text-based online counselling scales across geographical and stigma barriers, yet faces practitioner shortages, lacks non-verbal cues and suffers inconsistent quality assurance. Whilst artificial intelligence offers promising solutions, its use in mental health counselling raises distinct ethical challenges. This paper analyses three AI implementation approaches - autonomous counsellor bots, AI training simulators and counsellor-facing augmentation tools. Drawing on professional codes, regulatory frameworks and scholarly literature, we identify four ethical principles - privacy, fairness, autonomy and accountability - and demonstrate their distinct manifestations across implementation approaches. Textual constraints may enable AI integration whilst requiring attention to implementation-specific hazards. This conceptual paper sensitises developers, researchers and practitioners to navigate AI-enhanced counselling ethics whilst preserving human values central to mental health support. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_08878 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | AI Systems in Text-Based Online Counselling: Ethical Considerations Across Three Implementation Approaches Steigerwald, Philipp Burghardt, Jennifer Rudolph, Eric Albrecht, Jens Computers and Society Text-based online counselling scales across geographical and stigma barriers, yet faces practitioner shortages, lacks non-verbal cues and suffers inconsistent quality assurance. Whilst artificial intelligence offers promising solutions, its use in mental health counselling raises distinct ethical challenges. This paper analyses three AI implementation approaches - autonomous counsellor bots, AI training simulators and counsellor-facing augmentation tools. Drawing on professional codes, regulatory frameworks and scholarly literature, we identify four ethical principles - privacy, fairness, autonomy and accountability - and demonstrate their distinct manifestations across implementation approaches. Textual constraints may enable AI integration whilst requiring attention to implementation-specific hazards. This conceptual paper sensitises developers, researchers and practitioners to navigate AI-enhanced counselling ethics whilst preserving human values central to mental health support. |
| title | AI Systems in Text-Based Online Counselling: Ethical Considerations Across Three Implementation Approaches |
| topic | Computers and Society |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.08878 |