Conversational Agents Teach Humans How to Manage Psychological Disorder

Over the last few years, it has been possible to look at an interesting technological trend, which stands out among the others, and it is known with the name of “conversational agent”. The term includes all the invisible agents able to simulate a nearly realistic conversation between human and machine. Thanks to the fast growth of technological capabilities, we are aware of the strong relationship which ties man and machine, to the extent that the former can teach many tasks to the latter. What if machines, after being well trained, become able to teach to humans? This perspective shift is the core of this paper, where we are going to deal with conversational agents used as a supplier of mental support. Here we aim to provide you with a literature review, which demonstrates the efficiency of the usage of conversational agents for granting mental support through a conversation-based therapy. The literature review helps to give a reflection starting point. With this, we mean that thanks to conversational agents, and more in general Voice-User-Interfaces, it is possible to teach users how to manage and gradually decrease their mental disease. In this case, humans are going to learn from technology through a new learning perspective which aims to promote mental well-being. We intend to present the development of a product-service-system in the academic field able to supply mental support. This would be done by teaching to him or her how to behave in an anxious moment.