Interview scorecard template

Human-AI Relationship Counselor interview scorecard

Evaluate Human-AI Relationship Counselor candidates across 4 weighted areas: clinical competence, patient safety and protocol, patient communication, and working in a clinical team. Clinical competence leads at 35%, so check their counselling training and licence (LPC, LMFT, LCSW, BACP) plus fluency with companion platforms such as Replika, Character.AI or custom GPT partners. Use the rubric to compare role-specific evidence consistently.

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healthcare clinicalai companionshipcounselling ethicsdigital wellbeingparasocial attachment
TL;DR
For clinical competence, look for evidence the candidate holds a current counselling licence, cites modalities used (CBT, EFT, ACT) and describes real clients presenting with AI attachment. For patient safety and protocol, look for evidence the candidate names a structured risk protocol, describes escalation to psychiatry, and distinguishes healthy companion use from dependency with clear thresholds. Apply the written 1–5 anchors to every answer, record the evidence behind each rating, and use the factor weights to reach a consistent overall assessment.
Complete evaluation framework

What to assess and how to score it

Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.

01
Evaluation factor

Clinical competence

35% weight

Check their counselling training and licence (LPC, LMFT, LCSW, BACP) plus fluency with companion platforms such as Replika, Character.AI or custom GPT partners in casework.

Evidence to listen for

  • Command of the procedures, anatomy, and equipment the role requires
  • Holds current registration or certification
  • Knows normal from abnormal and what to do about each
  • Recognises when a case is outside their scope

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Unsafe knowledge gaps; registration missing or lapsed.

2
Needs Improvement

Knowledge gaps that would affect patient care.

3
Satisfactory

Competent for standard cases; needs support on complex ones.

4
Very Good

Strong clinical knowledge; safe and reliable across the usual range.

5
Excellent

Holds a current counselling licence, cites modalities used (CBT, EFT, ACT) and describes real clients presenting with AI attachment.

02
Evaluation factor

Patient safety and protocol

30% weight

Probe screening for suicidality, psychosis and AI-reinforced delusion, plus protocols when a chatbot has echoed self-harm ideation or a client resists platform separation.

Evidence to listen for

  • Follows identification, infection control, and documentation protocol without prompting
  • Can describe an error or near miss and what they did
  • Escalates deterioration early
  • Treats protocol as protection rather than bureaucracy

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Casual about protocol; would not report an error.

2
Needs Improvement

Inconsistent protocol adherence; slow to escalate.

3
Satisfactory

Follows protocol reliably; documentation sometimes thin.

4
Very Good

Protocol is instinctive; escalates early and reports honestly.

5
Excellent

Names a structured risk protocol, describes escalation to psychiatry, and distinguishes healthy companion use from dependency with clear thresholds.

03
Evaluation factor

Patient communication

20% weight

Assess how they discuss an AI partner without ridicule or collusion: validating grief after a model deprecation, or a spouse discovering companion app use.

Evidence to listen for

  • Explains a procedure to an anxious or confused patient
  • Handles distress, pain, or refusal without losing control of the interaction
  • Respects privacy and dignity in practice, not just in principle
  • Works with families and carers

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Dismissive of patients; no bedside awareness.

2
Needs Improvement

Task-focused; struggles with distressed patients.

3
Satisfactory

Adequate rapport; less confident in difficult interactions.

4
Very Good

Calm, clear, and respectful with anxious or difficult patients.

5
Excellent

Uses the client's own language for the AI, holds neutrality, and gives a concrete example of de-escalating shame in session.

04
Evaluation factor

Working in a clinical team

15% weight

Look for coordination with psychiatrists, couples therapists, trust and safety teams at AI vendors, and supervision or peer consultation on novel presentations.

Evidence to listen for

  • Hands over cleanly and completely
  • Challenges a colleague when patient safety requires it
  • Takes direction from clinicians without deferring blindly
  • Handles shift work and pressure without becoming difficult to work with

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Poor handover; cannot work in a clinical team.

2
Needs Improvement

Handover gaps; avoids raising concerns about colleagues.

3
Satisfactory

Reliable team member; handover adequate.

4
Very Good

Clean handovers and willing to speak up on safety.

5
Excellent

Brings cases to supervision, documents referrals cleanly, and has worked alongside platform safety staff or clinical researchers on attachment cases.

Evidence-led prompts

Interview questions for a Human-AI Relationship Counselor

Use these prompts to surface evidence for the weighted factors above and compare candidates against the same role-specific criteria.

  1. 01

    What training and clinical background do you bring to counselling in this area?

  2. 02

    Can you describe a client conflict involving an AI system and how you worked through it?

  3. 03

    Can you give an example of AI use improving a client's relationship with another person?

  4. 04

    How do you work with a client who has formed a strong emotional attachment to an AI system?

  5. 05

    How do you help clients set boundaries with AI tools in their daily life?

See the complete Human-AI Relationship Counselor question set
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