Can — and should — chatbots help students navigate mental health crises?

From Diverse Issues in Higher Education: “Recent studies … found reduced anxiety symptoms among college students who used AI chatbots. … Conducted by the Healthy Minds research group, a national survey of college students in 2020 found that almost 40% experienced depression. One in three students reported that they have had anxiety. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also found that one in four people aged 18 to 24 seriously considered suicide in June 2020. But providing mental health care to students can be expensive, so colleges have been turning to more affordable telehealth solutions to meet demand.”