Loneliness and problematic use of conversational artificial intelligence among college students: the serial mediating roles of social anxiety and self-control.

OBJECTIVES

Loneliness is an important public health concern associated with individuals' physical and mental wellbeing. As conversational artificial intelligence (CAI) becomes more widely used, concerns about its problematic use have attracted increasing attention. However, the link between loneliness and problematic use of conversational artificial intelligence (PUCAI) remains insufficiently understood. The current research explored the link between loneliness and PUCAI among college students, with social anxiety and self-control evaluated as serial mediators. These findings provide preliminary empirical insight into the psychological correlates of PUCAI and may inform future research and educational efforts aimed at promoting healthy and responsible CAI use.

METHODS

Using convenience sampling, this cross-sectional study analyzed data from 400 undergraduate students enrolled at a university in western China. Research instruments included the Loneliness Scale, the PUCAI Scale, the Social Anxiety Scale, and the Self-Control Scale. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations were computed with IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0. Serial mediation was examined with Hayes' PROCESS macro (Model 6), and indirect effects were evaluated using 5,000 bootstrap resamples with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Greater loneliness was linked to higher PUCAI. Social anxiety and self-control each showed significant indirect associations, and the proposed statistical model indicated a significant serial indirect effect involving these two variables.

CONCLUSION

The results offer further insight into the potential psychological pathways associated with PUCAI among college students. The findings suggest that loneliness, social anxiety, and self-regulatory capacities may represent potentially relevant factors to consider in future research and prevention efforts aimed at promoting healthy and responsible CAI use.