Mental Health Impacts of AI Companions: Triangulating Social Media Quasi-Experiments, User Perspectives, and Relational Theory
arXiv (preprint), 2025 · preprint, not peer reviewed
L3of 5
- Design
- Quasi-experimental
- Risk of bias
- Some concerns
- Sample
- Not reported
- AI type
- Companion / social AI apps
- Outcomes
- Loneliness, Mood, Self-harm
Authors' conclusion
“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, we offer design implications for AI companions that scaffold healthy boundaries, support mindful engagement, support disclosure without dependency, and surface relationship stages -- maximizing psychosocial benefits while mitigating risks.”Quoted verbatim from the abstract.
Draft grade. Level and risk of bias were assigned by our agent and await expert review. How we grade
Read the paper →https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.22505v2Related
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