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Perceived support from AI chatbots and loneliness among higher vocational college students: a short-term three-wave study of social interaction anxiety and perceived social support

Truvace record
TRV-2026-2540raw data (JSON)
Version
v1Published
First published
Evidence type
Observational study
Sources
1 sourcePeer-reviewed
sha256
864cd110b398…check it

Generative artificial intelligence and AI companion tools are increasingly entering higher vocational college students' learning, emotion regulation, and everyday social communication contexts. This study defines perceived support from AI chatbots as students' subjective experience of receiving support while using AI chat tools, rather than objective social support from real interpersonal sources. A short-term three-wave design was used. Students were recruited through class WeChat groups from four higher vocati…

56Gain side

How the two sides scoreClose call

59Problem side

The gain

In a three-wave study of 1,200 vocational college students, those who felt more supported by AI chatbots at the second wave reported less loneliness about 8 weeks later, mainly if they had strong real-life support.

The problem

In the same study, students who felt more supported by AI chatbots reported higher social interaction anxiety at the next wave, which in turn predicted more loneliness later.

A fixed formula sets both scores from the evidence and its sources. Reader votes don’t move them.

What the scores mean

G is the gain side, out of 100. It goes up when the gain is specific, when it measurably helped people and when the sources behind it are strong.

P is the problem side, out of 100. It goes up when the problem is specific, when it measurably hurt people and when the sources behind it are strong.

What this doesn’t fix

Because intact classes were recruited and no class identifiers were kept, clustering could not be adjusted for, so p values may be overly optimistic; the revised model was changed after poor initial fit, measures were self-reported, and the results are associations, not proof of cause.

Sources

1 on file
  1. Frontiers in Psychologydoi:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1928350
    Peer-reviewed2026-09-15

Cite this record

v1

Truvace Impact Record TRV-2026-2540, v1: “Perceived support from AI chatbots and loneliness among higher vocational college students: a short-term three-wave study of social interaction anxiety and perceived social support.” Truvace, 2026-11-12. /record/TRV-2026-2540 (accessed on the day you copy it). sha256 864cd110b3982509…

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