Artificial Intelligence and Adolescent Depression and Anxiety: Clinical Potential, Developmental Risks, Ethical Safeguards, and Nursing Implications

AI Summary

AI may augment psychoeducation and preliminary screening or triage when embedded in validated workflows with clinician oversight; it must not replace clinical assessment or counselling.
AI can aid psychiatric nurses with symptom assessment and low intensity psychoeducation but is insufficiently accurate for independent suicide or other safety risk assessment.
Evidence for anxiety outcomes is less robust than for depressive symptoms; developmental, safety, and ethical risks require safeguards and ongoing evaluation.

J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Nurs. 2026 Nov;39(4):e70081. doi: 10.1111/jcap.70081.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: AI-enabled tools may support adolescent mental health care but introduce developmental, safety, and ethical risks.

PURPOSE: To summarize the clinical potential, developmental risks, ethical safeguards, and nursing implications of AI use for adolescent depression and anxiety.

APPROACH: This commentary is informed by selected peer-reviewed sources and expert recommendations on AI, mental health of adolescents, ethics, and nursing considerations.

CONCLUSION: AI may have a limited adjunctive role in psychoeducation and in preliminary screening or triage when embedded in validated workflows with clinician oversight; it should not replace clinical assessment or counseling. AI may assist psychiatric nurses with symptom assessment and low-intensity psychoeducation, but it has not been shown to be sufficiently accurate for independent suicide or safety risk assessment. Evidence for anxiety outcomes remains less robust than for depressive symptoms.

PMID:43006989 | DOI:10.1111/jcap.70081

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