Artificial Intelligence Literacy, Perceived Barriers and Benefits, Intention to adopt Artificial Intelligence Among Clinical Psychologists

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly influencing the field of mental health, prompting questions about how it might be responsibly integrated into clinical practice. This study aimed to examine the relationship between AI literacy, perceived benefits and barriers, and the intention to adopt AI among clinical psychologists. It was hypothesized that higher AI literacy, perceived benefits and perceived barriers will predict intention to adopt AI in clinical psychologists. A cross-sectional, correlational research design was used to gather data from a purposive sample of 147 clinical psychologists with age range (M=27.68, SD= 5.15) in various mental health settings across Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Measures of standardized questionnaire, including the MAIL Scale to assess AI literacy, the TAM Scale to measure perceived benefits, the BAAI Scale for perceived barriers, and the Trust in Automation Scale to evaluate intention to adopt AI. The results of showed that AI literacy and perceived benefits were significant positive predictors of intention to adopt AI in clinical settings. Conversely, perceived barriers negatively impacted the intention to adopt AI in clinical practices. In conclusion, the findings highlight the importance of improving AI literacy and reducing perceived barriers to support the responsible integration of AI tools into clinical practice. Addressing these factors may help bridge the gap between technological innovation and its practical use in mental health care.