用临床理论构建更真实的虚拟来访者,让心理咨询训练更贴近现实。
PatientAct: Theory-Grounded Mental Health Client Simulation

- 基于5Ps临床框架设计有因果深度的来访者模型,内容按信任阈值分层开放。
- 模拟中动态生成情绪反应与行为,对敏感内容表现出多维度抵抗而非盲目配合。
- 在40个情境下验证,比基线模型更真实,适合心理咨询训练与评估。
基于大语言模型的虚拟来访者被广泛用于新手咨询师培训、LLM治疗师评估及合成数据生成。但现有模拟器存在来访者过于顺从、过早披露、轻易接受重构且单次会谈即解决核心问题等问题。我们发现根源在于案例档案缺乏因果深度,且行为机制将所有内容视为同等可访问。为此提出PatientAct框架,基于成熟临床理论构建。其案例档案融合5Ps临床构念,提供因果深度而不绑定特定疗法。模拟时引入动态记忆层,不同内容具有不同信任阈值(如症状早期可获,早期记忆需长期建立治疗关系)。每轮交互前先建模情绪与行为反应,若触及受保护内容,则以数量、内容与风格等多维度表现抗拒,而非默认合作或单一模式。在40个临床情境上评估显示,该框架生成多样且高临床可信度的案例。相比基线,显著提升抗拒质量与行为真实性。代码与数据已开源于github.com/Sahandfer/PatientHub。
原文摘要 · Abstract (English)
LLM-based simulated clients are increasingly used to train novice counselors, evaluate LLM therapists, and generate synthetic data. However, current simulators produce overly cooperative clients that disclose too readily, accept therapeutic reframes without resistance, and resolve core issues within a single session. We trace these issues to profiles that lack causal depth and behavioral mechanisms that treat all content as equally accessible. We present PatientAct, a framework for client simulation grounded in established clinical theories. Our profiles integrate the 5Ps clinical case formulation, providing causal depth without tying the design to any single therapeutic modality. During simulation, profiles include a dynamic memory layer in which items carry trust thresholds (e.g., symptoms are available early, whereas formative memories require a sustained therapeutic alliance). At each turn, the client's emotional reaction and behavior are modeled before generating a response. If the therapist approaches gated content, PatientAct expresses resistance in terms of quantity, content, and style rather than defaulting to cooperation or a single resistance pattern. We evaluate our framework on 40 clinical situations and demonstrate that it generates diverse profiles with high clinical plausibility. Moreover, PatientAct significantly outperforms the baselines, yielding substantial gains in resistance quality and behavioral realism. Our code and data are publicly available via github.com/Sahandfer/PatientHub.
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