Creating a tool to help therapists provide culturally responsive care
Development of a natural language processing (NLP) based therapist tool for culturally responsive care
This study is creating a helpful tool for therapists to better understand and support the unique needs of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and LGBTQ+ individuals by giving them feedback on their therapy sessions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10949091 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research aims to develop a natural language processing (NLP) tool that helps therapists improve their cultural competency when working with Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and LGBTQ+ communities. By analyzing therapy sessions, the tool will provide feedback to therapists on how well they are addressing the unique needs of these populations. The project involves coding therapy sessions to create a dataset and then developing a prototype tool that visualizes feedback for therapists. This approach seeks to enhance the quality of mental healthcare for marginalized communities by making it easier for therapists to receive and implement constructive feedback.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are individuals from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities seeking mental health services.
Not a fit: Patients who do not identify as BIPOC or LGBTQ+ may not receive direct benefits from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved mental healthcare outcomes for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals by enhancing the cultural responsiveness of therapists.
How similar studies have performed: Previous applications of NLP tools in psychotherapy have shown promise, indicating that this approach could be effective in improving culturally responsive care.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- University of Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kuo, Patty Beyrong — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Kuo, Patty Beyrong
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.