Bereaved people valued opportunities for reconnection with the deceased, while MHCWs warned that such reconnection might impede grief processing. Both groups agreed that deepfakes may have therapeutic value if applied ethically, under therapist guidance, and with safeguards. Because participants were asked about hypothetical use, results reflect perceptions, not clinical effectiveness. Our findings underscore the need for ethical guidelines to balance bereaved people's needs with professional responsibility when exploring the therapeutic effects of deepfake technology in treatment.
Oostrum et al. (2026) studied this question.