American Psychiatric Association, May 17-21

The annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association was held from May 17 to 21 in Los Angeles. Participants included clinicians, academicians, allied health professionals, and others interested in psychiatry. The conference highlighted recent advances in the prevention, detection, and treatment of psychiatric conditions.In a pilot study, Esha Aneja, of the California Northstate University College of Medicine in Elk Grove, and colleagues found that human therapists remain superior to artificial intelligence (AI) in delivering effective, personalized cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), especially in areas requiring emotional nuance, collaboration, and adaptability.The authors compared the performance of ChatGPT-3.5 to a human therapist in delivering text-based CBT. Using the Cognitive Therapy Rating Scale (CTRS) and qualitative feedback from 75 mental health professionals and trainees, therapeutic quality across domains such as agenda setting, guided discovery, feedback elicitation, and empathy were assessed.The investigators found that human therapists consistently outperformed ChatGPT across nearly all CTRS domains. The largest performance gaps were in eliciting feedback, using guided discovery, and incorporating personalized CBT techniques. While ChatGPT showed some promise in providing structured, organized responses, its tone was often perceived as impersonal and generic. Qualitative data revealed that AI lacked the flexibility, empathy, and therapeutic alliance central to effective CBT."Our findings suggest that while AI may eventually serve as an adjunct tool -- for psychoeducation, homework review, or increasing access -- it cannot replace human therapists in delivering comprehensive, emotionally attuned therapy," Aneja said. "Although ChatGPT can mimic CBT structure, it struggles with responsiveness, depth, and the human connection necessary for meaningful therapeutic change."Press ReleaseIn another study, Debora Xavier, M.D., Ph.D., of Ministério da Saúde in Abaetetuba, Brazil, and colleagues found that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists could be useful as an adjunct therapy for smoking cessation, especially for individuals with overweight or who are concerned about postcessation weight gain.In a systematic review and meta-analysis, the authors evaluated GLP-1 receptor agonists for their role in smoking cessation. Three randomized controlled trials involving a total of 410 participants met the inclusion criteria.The researchers found that GLP-1 receptor agonists did not significantly improve quit rates, but they consistently reduced postcessation weight gain, which is a common barrier to quitting."GLP-1 drugs didn't clearly make people more likely to quit, but they seem about as effective as standard treatments, especially when used together with something like a nicotine patch," Xavier said. "The evidence is still limited, but promising for specific groups, like people who fear gaining weight after quitting."Press ReleaseBenita Lalani, of the John Sealy School of Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, and colleagues found that music impacts public perceptions of substance use and mental health.The researchers conducted a thematic analysis of Billboard's Top 50 songs from 2013 to 2024 -- totaling 550 songs -- to explore how music reflects and potentially shapes public perceptions of substance use and mental health.The investigators found that alcohol was the most frequently referenced substance early on, peaking in 2015, before declining and then rising again to a new high in 2024. Mentions of pills (including unspecified drugs), marijuana, cocaine, and ecstasy surged at different points, often aligning with real-world events. For instance, unspecified drug references peaked during the onset of COVID-19 in 2020.Mental health themes such as anxiety, depression, loneliness, and coping strategies became more prevalent and often overlapped with substance-related lyrics. The lyrical data loosely mirrored trends reported in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, suggesting music may be both a reflection of and contributor to youth culture and health behaviors."Popular music serves as a cultural barometer, capturing and amplifying social narratives around substance use and mental health," Lalani said. "Our analysis suggests that lyrics do not simply reflect existing trends -- they may also influence them, particularly among impressionable audiences. Songs frequently offer messages of escapism, pain, and resilience, making them a valuable (yet sometimes often underutilized) lens for understanding current struggles."Press Release.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

American Psychiatric Association, May 17-21

Related Stories