Research project Anna vs. Judith: Comparing AI-Delivered PDT and CBT for Social Anxiety

The STePS project at Stockholm University is taking a bold step into the future of psychiatry by developing and evaluating two AI chatbots for treating social anxiety. The project builds on previous promising results from internet-based treatment studies, but now moves therapy to users' smartphones with the support of artificial intelligence.

The two digital therapists – Anna who delivers psychodynamic therapy (PDT) and Judith who offers cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) – are named after children of what are often considered the founding fathers of these therapeutic orientations. Both chatbots are trained on evidence-based treatment protocols that have previously shown good results.

In this randomized controlled trial, 90 people with social anxiety are randomly assigned to one of three groups: AI-assisted CBT, AI-assisted PDT, or a waitlist control. Both active treatments have been condensed into four-week interventions where traditional therapist support has been replaced with AI assistance.

The study measures treatment effects through various validated questionnaires that track changes in social anxiety, depression, and general anxiety. Therapeutic alliance and patient satisfaction are also examined to understand how participants experience the interaction with the digital therapist.

If effective, these AI chatbots could democratize access to psychological treatment, make it independent of geographic and economic limitations, and potentially revolutionize how psychiatric care is delivered in the future.