News article addresses teen use of AI chatbots for emotional support
Date Posted: Wednesday, August 19, 2026iSPARC researcher & center director, Megan Kelly, PhD, along with two UMass Chan colleagues, Phoebe Moore, PhD, and Yael Dvir, MD, recently published an article in The Conversation exploring how teens are increasingly turning to AI chatbots for emotional support — and how adults can help keep them safe.
The article is based on their work, “Tips for Clinicians to Help Manage Adolescent Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chatbot Use for Mental Health.” The tip sheet provides practical guidance for clinicians navigating adolescent chatbot use, with recommendations that include routinely assessing use, discussing both benefits and risks, helping teens understand the limits of chatbots compared with evidence-based therapy, and recognizing warning signs that require professional involvement.
The document also emphasizes the importance of:
- creating nonjudgmental conversations with adolescents
- involving parents or caregivers when appropriate
- developing safety protocols
- offering alternative coping strategies
- sharing crisis resources
As AI chatbots become more common in teens’ daily lives, this work offers timely guidance for supporting youth mental health in a digital age.
