Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience & Mental Health

AI in Career Guidance: Opportunities, Risks and Ethical Boundaries

2026-05-25T13:50:51+03:00

Artificial intelligence is increasingly used in career guidance through chatbots, recommender systems, predictive analytics and interactive platforms. These tools may improve access and personalisation, but career guidance is not a neutral information service. It can influence how people understand their skills, their future options and their sense of agency. This article provides a narrative review and normative analysis of recent academic, professional and regulatory sources on AI-assisted career guidance. The discussion focuses on opportunities, risks and ethical boundaries, with particular attention to human oversight, personal data, fairness, transparency and the distinction between career discovery and career decision-making. The literature suggests that AI can expand access to guidance, support lifelong learning, connect users with changing labour-market information and make exploration more interactive. At the same time, the evidence base remains uneven. Important risks include biased or outdated data, privacy and secondary use of personal data, hallucinated or weakly verified outputs, narrow recommendation loops, automation bias and the possible weakening of the human relationship in guidance. Concluding, ethical AI in career guidance requires more than enthusiasm for innovation. It requires explainable outputs, data minimisation, quality control, practitioner involvement, user contestability, AI literacy and clear human responsibility. The article argues that the most important boundary is the line between career discovery and career decision. AI systems that help users explore possibilities may be valuable; systems that substantially determine educational or employment outcomes require stricter governance and human oversight.

Career Uncertainty and Openness to Non-Obvious Careers: The Role of Artificial Intelligence

2026-05-25T13:50:51+03:00

Background: Young adults are making career decisions in a labour market shaped by technological change, economic instability and the growing use of artificial intelligence. AI is often discussed as a source of disruption and anxiety, yet it may also support exploration by helping users identify emerging, hybrid and less visible career pathways. This study examined career uncertainty, openness to non-obvious careers and receptivity to AI-supported career exploration among young adults.
Methods: An exploratory cross-sectional survey design was used. The sample consisted of 80 respondents aged 18-24 years. The questionnaire examined career certainty, fear of making the wrong career decision, perceived labour-market awareness, knowledge of less prominent career options, openness to skills-based career discovery and interest in digital, interactive, gamified and AI-supported career exploration tools. Data were analysed descriptively through frequencies, percentages and exploratory cross-tabulations; open-ended responses were reviewed thematically.
Results: More than half of the participants reported uncertainty about their professional future (53.75%) and fear of making the wrong career decision (56.25%). Nearly half (46.25%) felt inadequately informed about current career options, and only 28.75% reported familiarity with less prominent career paths. At the same time, interest in guided discovery was high: 86.25% wanted to discover career options they would not have considered independently, and 90.00% wanted to learn about professions connected to their existing skills. Receptivity to interactive formats was also strong, with 76.25% willing to use a scenario-based digital tool and 83.75% preferring an interactive experience over a classic test. Interest in AI-supported personalised insight was positive but more cautious (56.25%).
Conclusions: In this exploratory sample, career uncertainty coexisted with a strong interest in discovering non-obvious and skills-related professional pathways. AI-supported tools may contribute to this process when they are transparent, interactive and designed to support reflection rather than to automate career choice. The findings support cautious development of AI-assisted career exploration as a decision-support resource, not as a substitute for human career guidance.

From Survival to Growth: A Pilot Evaluation of an Online Empowerment-Based Group Intervention for Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

2026-05-25T13:50:51+03:00

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) constitutes a major public health and human rights issue worldwide, with well-documented psychological consequences including posttraumatic stress, depression, and impaired interpersonal functioning. Despite increasing awareness of IPV in Greece, empirically evaluated psychosocial interventions for women survivors—particularly accessible online group programs—remain limited. Empowerment-oriented, trauma-informed interventions have been suggested as promising approaches for supporting survivors’ recovery, enhancing self-efficacy, and fostering posttraumatic growth.
Methods: The present pilot study evaluated the preliminary effectiveness of A New Beginning – Learning to Care for Myself, a structured online psychoeducational group intervention developed by W.I.N. Hellas for women survivors of IPV. The program was delivered through 15 weekly sessions and was grounded in cognitive-behavioral, systemic, and trauma-informed principles aimed at increasing awareness of abusive dynamics, reducing self-blame, strengthening emotional regulation, and promoting empowerment. Twenty-one women survivors of domestic violence (aged 19–58 years; M = 41.81, SD = 9.84) participated in the study. Participants completed measures assessing posttraumatic stress symptoms (PCL-C), help-seeking attitudes and minimization of abuse (MHSS), and posttraumatic growth (PTGI-SF) before and after the intervention. Given the small sample size and non-normal distributions, nonparametric analyses were conducted, including chi-square tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.
Results: The proportion of participants meeting the clinical cutoff for probable PTSD decreased from 28.6% pre-intervention to 14.3% post-intervention, although this change was not statistically significant. No significant differences were observed in most help-seeking attitudes. In contrast, significant improvements were observed in key domains of posttraumatic growth. Participants reported a significant increase in perceived personal strength (z = –2.71, p = .007) and relational intimacy with others (z = –2.31, p = .021). Trends toward improvement were also observed in appreciation of life and perceived ability to face difficulties. These findings suggest that participation in the intervention was associated with meaningful gains in psychological empowerment and relational functioning.
Conclusions: Although reductions in PTSD symptoms and changes in help-seeking attitudes were limited, the intervention demonstrated promising effects in enhancing posttraumatic growth among women survivors of IPV. The observed increases in personal strength and relational intimacy highlight the potential value of empowerment-focused psychoeducational group programs delivered in online formats. Given the exploratory nature of the study and its methodological limitations—including small sample size and absence of a control group—future research should employ larger samples, controlled designs, and longitudinal follow-ups to further examine the effectiveness and sustainability of such interventions. Nevertheless, the findings provide preliminary evidence supporting the feasibility and potential psychological benefits of structured online empowerment interventions for IPV survivors in the Greek context.

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis study of the lived experience of caregivers working in a boarding house with adults with autism and schizophrenia

2026-05-25T13:50:51+03:00

The caregiving profession represents a relatively overlooked and under-researched domain, characterized by a complex interplay of intense positive and negative emotions. These experiences can become especially challenging when caregivers support vulnerable populations within the demanding environment of boarding houses. The aim of this qualitative study is to explore and gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of caregivers employed in a boarding house that supports adults diagnosed with autism and schizophrenia. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with six caregivers employed at a boarding house in Athens, Greece. The method of analysis employed was Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), which integrates the principles of phenomenology, idiographic approach, and the concept of double hermeneutics. The analysis of the interviews identified three interconnected themes. The first theme illuminated the negative emotions and daily challenges encountered by caregivers, with particular emphasis on self-blame and feelings of pity directed toward the patients. These challenges brought to light the second theme, which centered on the coping mechanisms employed by caregivers, focusing on the emotional support from peers and colleagues, alongside the cultivation of meaningful relationships with patients. The third theme uncovered an additional dimension of the caregiving profession, revealing the positive psychological impact of the caregiver’s role. This theme specifically explored the personal fulfillment derived from patients’ progress and well-being, as well as an enhanced sense of gratitude fostered by the recognition of life’s challenges. Collectively, the findings offered a comprehensive portrayal of the full spectrum of caregivers’ emotional experiences, providing valuable insights into the working conditions within the mental health field.

“Two approaches, one purpose” - Evaluating treatment effectiveness of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Major Depressive Disorder on adult population; a systematic literature review.

2026-05-25T13:50:51+03:00

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a significantly debilitating and prevalent mental condition, that appears to be influenced by various biological and environmental factors and possess substantial risks for physio-psychological functioning. Considering these adverse implications, various psychotherapeutic interventions have surfaced, in which Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Psychodynamic Therapy (PDT) stand out as the most prominent, non-pharmacological treatment approaches in adults with MDD. To assess these assumptions, the current study implemented a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) to investigate treatment effectiveness of CBT and PDT to MDD, on adult population. Results concur with previous literature, indicating that both approaches from their own accords exhibit relatively similar beneficial outcomes as psychotherapeutic treatments to MDD, with the sole notable difference being the longevity of the effects. These assumptions may indirectly implicate that CBT tends to provide fast, yet not as enduring effects, whereas PDT although could necessitate a longer timeframe to exhibit results, might produce effects of relatively greater duration. Several implications concerning remission and response rates, treatment effectiveness, relapse, and probable biases in interventional literature are thoroughly discussed.

Selective Mutism: A Biopsychosocial Perspective on Development and Treatment

2026-05-25T13:50:50+03:00

Selective mutism (SM) is a rare childhood disorder characterized by a persistent failure to speak in certain social situations, such as school, despite the ability to speak in others, like at home. Although earlier theories explained SM through psychodynamic perspectives focused on trauma and family dynamics, current classifications in the DSM-5-TR place it within anxiety disorders. However, research suggests that SM is a complex and multidimensional condition that cannot be explained by anxiety alone. Using Engel’s biopsychosocial model, the essay highlights how biological, psychological, and social factors interact in the development of SM. Biological influences include genetic vulnerabilities, auditory processing differences, temperament traits such as shyness, and familial psychopathology. Psychological mechanisms involve fear of negative evaluation, behavioral inhibition, social withdrawal, and high rates of comorbid anxiety disorders, particularly social anxiety. Social factors include overprotective or controlling parenting styles, parental anxiety, family conflict, stressful life events, and environmental transitions such as starting a new school. Several theoretical frameworks, including the “unsafe world” model, polyvagal theory, and attachment theory, help explain how perceptions of safety and emotion regulation influence speech behavior. Evidence indicates that early intervention is important, with cognitive-behavioral and behavioral therapies—often combined with family and school support—showing the strongest effectiveness in improving speech and reducing anxiety in children with SM.