Psyche Machina

The role of AI companions in supporting adaptive emotion regulation among university students with social anxiety

Discover mental health, 2026

L5of 5
Design
Qualitative
Risk of bias
Some concerns
Sample
n = 20
AI type
Companion / social AI apps
Outcomes
Mood
Authors' conclusion
“The study highlights both the promise and limitations of AI companions in supporting adaptive emotion regulation among socially anxious students. A multi-stakeholder effort involving psychologists, educators, and AI developers is recommended to optimize the use of AI companions for mental health support in university settings.”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 →DOI 10.1007/s44192-026-00387-7