Loneliness
10 studies. 3 are trials or meta-analyses.
Trial or meta-analysisCohortSurvey, case or reviewOne dot per study. Size is sample size. Select a dot to open it.
By design
Studies
- L2How AI and Human Behaviors Shape Psychosocial Effects of Extended Chatbot Use: A Longitudinal Randomized Controlled Study“Individuals' characteristics, such as higher trust and social attraction towards the AI chatbot, are associated with higher emotional dependence and problematic use. These findings raise deeper questions about how…”arXiv (preprint), 2025 · n = 981 · preprint
- L2Effect of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based AI Chatbot on Depression and Loneliness in Chinese University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial With Financial Stress Moderation“The culturally adapted, CBT-based AI chatbot effectively reduced depression and loneliness in Chinese university students, with stronger effects among those experiencing high financial stress. These findings highlight…”JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2025 · n = 100
- L2AI Companions Reduce Loneliness“Study 5 provides evidence that both the chatbots' performance and, especially, whether it makes users feel heard, explain reductions in loneliness. Study 6 provides an additional robustness check for the loneliness…”arXiv (preprint), 2024 · preprint
- L3How Does Turning to AI for Companionship Predict Loneliness and Vice Versa?“Taken together, these findings provide initial evidence that being lonely may spur people to seek companionship through chatbots but that such use may, over time, exacerbate feelings of loneliness. We urge caution,…”Psychological science, 2026
- L3Therapeutic Potential of Social Chatbots in Alleviating Loneliness and Social Anxiety: Quasi-Experimental Mixed Methods Study“Social chatbots may have the potential to mitigate feelings of loneliness and social anxiety, indicating their possible utility as complementary resources in mental health interventions. User insights emphasize the…”Journal of medical Internet research, 2025
- L3Tech vs. Tradition: ChatGPT and Mindfulness in Enhancing Older Adults' Emotional Health“Similar to mindfulness practice, ChatGPT interactions helped older adults feel less depressed and might eventually reduce costs by replacing mindfulness. In the future, AI can be integrated with conventional…”Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 2024
- L3Mental Health Impacts of AI Companions: Triangulating Social Media Quasi-Experiments, User Perspectives, and Relational Theory“We identified trajectories of initiation, escalation, and bonding, wherein AICCs provided emotional validation and social rehearsal but also carried risks of over-reliance and withdrawal. Triangulating across methods,…”arXiv (preprint), 2025 · preprint
- L4Loneliness and suicide mitigation for students using GPT3-enabled chatbots“Critically, 3% reported that Replika halted their suicidal ideation. A comparative analysis of this group with the wider participant population is provided.”Npj mental health research, 2024 · n = 1,006
- L4Chatbot Companionship: A Mixed-Methods Study of Companion Chatbot Usage Patterns and Their Relationship to Loneliness in Active Users“These findings have significant implications for responsible AI development, suggesting that one-size-fits-all approaches to AI companionship may be ethically problematic. Our work contributes to the ongoing dialogue…”arXiv (preprint), 2024 · n = 404 · preprint
- L4Loneliness and AI chatbot dependence in young adults: the mediating role of perceived social support“These findings suggest that robust social support networks may function as a protective factor against emerging forms of AI chatbot dependence and highlight the importance of psychosocial interventions. Accordingly,…”BMC psychology, 2026