Computer-Assisted Counseling: Problems and Prospects

Recent computer-assisted counseling systems have been designed to treat specific types of psychological problems for which clearly articulated treatment strategies are available. Examples of such systems are MORTON, a program designed to treat mild to moderate depression, and PLATO DCS, a program for the treatment of moderately difficult avoidance-avoidance dilemmas. PLATO DCS and MORTON might be valuable for training counselors in treatment strategies for dealing with dilemmas and depression. In addition, counselor trainees can respond to these systems as clients and can use them as consultants. Computerization of other counseling techniques might lead to significant theoretical advances because technique must be clearly and concisely articulated to make computer applications feasible. Possible limitations of computer-assisted counseling are discussed, including client and counselor acceptance of computers as therapists and the limited ability of the computer to understand natural language.