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Symposium

Artificial Intelligence and Technology-based Interventions
Symposium

Symposium 27 - Responsible Innovation: Using AI Resources to Advance Therapist Training and Parenting Interventions

Friday, June 26, 2026
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM PDT
Location: Yerba Buena Salon 10, B3 Level
CE: 1.5

Keywords: Technology / Mobile Health, Parent Training , Evidence-Based Practice
Level of Familiarity: Advanced
Recommended Readings: Escoredo, M. C., Mostovoy, K., Schickler, R., Bechtel, A., Shagan, J., & Bunge, E. L. (2025). Enhancing parental skills through artificial intelligence-based conversational agents: The PAT Initiative. Family Relations, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.13158,   Entenberg, G. A., Mizrahi, S., Walker, H., Aghakhani, S., Mostovoy, K., Carre, N., Marshall, Z., Dosovitsky, G., Benfica, D., Rousseau, A., Lin, G., & Bunge, E. L. (2023). AI-based chatbot micro-intervention for parents: Meaningful engagement, learning, and efficacy. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1080770,   Stade, E. C., Stirman, S. W., Ungar, L. H., Boland, C. L., Schwartz, H. A., Yaden, D. B., Sedoc, J., DeRubeis, R., Willer, R., & Eichstaedt, J. C. (2023). Large language models could change the future of behavioral healthcare: A proposal for responsible development and evaluation [Preprint]. PsyArXiv. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/cuzvr,   ,  

This symposium brings together four presentations illustrating how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can enhance access, engagement, and sustainability in cognitive and behavioral interventions. Through empirical research and implementation studies, these projects demonstrate how AI can complement human expertise, reduce treatment gaps, and strengthen CBT training across diverse clinical and educational contexts.

Innovating in Behavioral Parent Training (Bunge et al.) examined a hybrid model combining human therapists with an AI conversational agent (“Pat”) to support caregivers between sessions. In Study 1, (N = 22) caregivers of children (ages 4–14) with disruptive behaviors found significant reductions in children’s externalizing and internalizing symptoms (p < .001, d = 1.00; p = .019, d = 0.63) and decreases in caregiver depression, anxiety, and stress. In Study 2 (N=116), caregivers completed nine BPT modules with group sessions plus Pat’s between-session guidance. Parents reported high satisfaction (NPS=81), strong alliance, and 89% completion, underscoring acceptability and scalability.

Advancing Training in CBT (Hong & Zdravkovic) described the Kaiser Permanente Mental Health Training Program’s integration of AI simulations into clinical practice. Graduate trainees in practiced CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing, multicultural awareness, and suicide risk assessment with virtual patients, received feedback on core therapeutic skills, and repeated exercises for mastery. Early results indicate improved confidence and skill acquisition, supporting AI as a scalable complement to human supervision.

Comparing Treatment Fidelity and Common Factors (Desage et al.), the Thera Turing Test (TTT) was applied to compare Parent Management Training (PMT) sessions led by human therapists versus Pat. Pat and the human therapist achieved high treatment fidelity (84–100%), while the human therapist scored higher on common factors. Pat demonstrated adaptability across different parenting styles, supporting consistent, high-quality delivery.

Feasibility and Acceptability of AI-Delivered Parent Management Training (Vaclavik et al.) evaluated the feasibility of AI-assisted Parent Management Training (PMT) alongside weekly therapist calls in 11 caregivers of children with externalizing behavior problems that were participating in an 8-week parenting group. Overall, treatment fidelity was high (98% adherence), utilization was high to moderate, and engagement (mean 352 messages) and satisfaction were high, reinforcing the intervention’s feasibility and acceptability.

Collectively, these studies advance WC-CBT goals by expanding access and engagement through digitally delivered CBT interventions for families, thereby reducing barriers to participation. They also strengthen sustainability through AI-supported education, supervision, and workforce development models that preserve therapeutic quality while facilitating broader dissemination. Together, these findings illustrate a new generation of interventions in which AI and human clinicians work collaboratively to enhance clinical practice and training.

Learning Objectives:

  • Describe how AI simulators can be used to train therapists and enhance skill acquisition.
  • Compare treatment fidelity and common therapeutic factors in human-delivered versus AI-delivered parent management training.
  • Identify key considerations for implementing AI-driven interventions with minimal human supervision to increase access and support.
  • Evaluate the impact of AI-based parent management training on child behavioral outcomes and parental mental health.

Presentations:

  • 11:06 AM - 11:27 AM PDT
    (SYM 27) Advancing Training in CBT: Ai-supported Learning in Clinical Practicum

    Speaker: Ana Zdravkovic, Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – Kaiser Permanente Northern California Mental Health Training Program

    Speaker: Ren Hong, Ph.D. – Kaiser Permanente

  • 11:27 AM - 11:48 AM PDT
    (SYM 27) Comparing Treatment Fidelity and Common Therapeutic Factors in Human- vs. Ai-delivered Parent Management Training

    Speaker: Christina Desage, M.S. (she/her/hers) – Palo Alto University

    Co-Author: Tyrique Patterson, BA – Palo Alto University

    Co-Author: YingHua Wu, MS – Palo Alto University

    Co-Author: Alexis Bechtel, MS – Palo Alto University

    Co-Author: Arjun Bharat, BS – Palo Alto

    Co-Author: Daniella Vaclavik, M.A., M.S., Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – Florida International University

    Co-Author: Eduardo Bunge, Dr., Ph.D. – Palo Alto University

  • 11:48 AM - 12:09 PM PDT
    (SYM 27) Feasibility of an AI Platform to Enhance Parent Management Training: A Case Series

    Speaker: Daniella Vaclavik, M.A., M.S., Ph.D. (she/her/hers) – Florida International University

    Co-Author: Christina Desage, M.S. (she/her/hers) – Palo Alto University

    Co-Author: Eduardo Bunge, Dr., Ph.D. – Palo Alto University

  • 12:09 PM - 12:30 PM PDT
    (SYM 27) Innovating in Behavioral Parent Training: Combining Human Therapists and AI

    Speaker: Eduardo Bunge, Dr., Ph.D. – Palo Alto University

    Co-Author: Felipe Rivera Cepeda, Mgr (he/him/his) – Universidad de Santo Tomas

    Co-Author: Blanca Pineda, EdD (she/her/hers) – Palo Alto University

    Co-Author: Karin Mostovoy, MS (she/her/hers) – Palo Alto University