Syllabus
MAS.S60 AI and Good Mental Health
Class Schedule (Subject to Change):
The four planned IN-PERSON class meetings will be conducted in adherence with MIT safety protocols. We will provide a remote attendance option for those who cannot join in person.
Wed Feb 17 Intro to AI for Good Mental Health
Examples and opportunity for Impact. Course mechanics.
COUHES, HWK1 assigned
Wed Feb 24 What factors can AI address to bring about better mental health?
Stories of COUHES human subjects studies and successful project examples:
Belen Saldias, Yuanbo Liu, Asma Ghandeharioun, Darian Bhathena, and Katie Matton
Project ideas discussion: Your ideas and team-building
HWK2 assigned
Wed Mar 3 IN-PERSON CLASS OPTION
AI for online peer-support and CBT with Dr. Rob Morris, founder of koko.ai
Present and brainstorm project ideas & interests, form project teams
HWK3 assigned: Project Proposal and completed CITI certificates
Wed Mar 10 IN-PERSON CLASS OPTION
Students present "final" project plans & collaborate on design of experiments
Evaluating impact with AI technology and good experiment designs
HWK4 assigned; FINALIZE COUHES FORMS & get Department sign off
Wed Mar 17 Models of Persuasion and Behavior Change, Growth Mindset
How AI can help/hinder with Yuanbo Liu
Mar 17 DUE: Submit PI-signed AND Department-head-signed forms to COUHES
HWK5 assigned
Wed Mar 24 The power of in-person social, with David Ramsay
Physical vs. AI-based social interaction and non-verbal communications
Measures of physical synchrony and rapport-building
HWK6 assigned
Wed Mar 31 IN-PERSON CLASS OPTION
Project implementation updates, demos, feedback, support
HWK7 assigned
Wed Apr 7 Meaning, Purpose, Social Support, Religious community - what do the data say?
HWK8 assigned
Wed Apr 14 Long-term mental health studies, wearable data with physiology, sleep, and activity,
with Dr. Szymon Fedor, MIT
NO HWK9 assigned - student holiday between classes - nothing to turn in :)
COUHES APPROVALS RETURN >= April 15; STUDY IMPLEMENTATION BEGINS
Wed Apr 21 Tips and Tricks for Engagement with Relational agents with Prof. Tim Bickmore, NEU
Agents "that care," When is a software agent effective at influencing health outcomes?
HWK10 assigned
Wed Apr 28 Integration of AI with Psychiatry - Digital Phenotyping, Apps that help improve mental health
Dr. John Torous, MD, Director of digitalpsych.org​ @Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
with panelists for Q&A about practical implementation in psychiatry:
David Mischoulon, MD PhD, Director of the MGH Depression Clinic Research Program
Paola Pedrelli, PhD, Assistant in Psychology at MGH
Wed May 5 Engagement, Ethics & Mental Health Data, Additional Wellbeing practices & AI opportunities
Epistemology of the Psychological: Theories and Practice
FINAL REPORT DRAFT (Without any results in it) DUE 10am ET Tues May 11
Wed May 12 Final Project Presentations Part I (online): Students present background work for their projects (everything but the results)
Wed May 19 IN PERSON CLASS: Final Project Presentations Part 2 and Celebration
Attendance "in real time" is required for all for-credit students.
Listeners are encouraged to attend online only (sorry! we are looking forward to this pandemic ending and having everybody together again having fun in person - we will get through this!)