A new study has found that social chatbots—AI-powered programs designed to have conversations—can help university students feel less lonely and anxious.
The research, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, suggests that these chatbots could play a role in supporting mental health.
The study was led by Professor Dooyoung Jung and his team from the Graduate School of Health Science and Technology at UNIST, in collaboration with Professor Chul-Hyun Cho from Korea University Anam Hospital’s Department of Psychiatry.
Their goal was to see if interacting with chatbots could provide emotional support to students struggling with loneliness or social anxiety.
The researchers focused on a popular chatbot called “Iruda 2.0.” They recruited 176 university students who interacted with the chatbot at least three times a week for a month.
Before and after this period, the students answered surveys measuring their levels of loneliness and social anxiety. Some participants also took part in interviews to share their experiences in more detail.
The results showed that regular conversations with the chatbot had a positive effect on the students’ mental health. On average, loneliness scores dropped by 15%, and social anxiety scores decreased by 18% after using the chatbot.
The study found that chatbots were even more effective for students who shared detailed thoughts and feelings during their conversations.
Those with strong emotional resilience—the ability to cope with stress and difficulties—also benefited more. The chatbot seemed especially helpful for people who find face-to-face social interactions challenging.
Myungsung Kim, the study’s first author and a Ph.D. student at UNIST, emphasized that this research proves chatbots can do more than just answer simple questions—they can provide real emotional support.
“This study shows that chatbots can help with feelings of loneliness and anxiety, especially for people who struggle with social relationships,” he said.
Professor Jung, who is also a psychiatrist, added that social chatbots could be a valuable tool for mental health support, especially in situations where professional help is limited.
The research team plans to improve chatbot technology so it can offer more personalized support. They also want to study potential downsides, such as biases in chatbot responses or limitations in handling complex mental health issues.
This study suggests that AI chatbots could be a helpful addition to mental health resources, providing companionship and emotional support in a digital form. However, researchers stress that while chatbots can help, they are not a replacement for professional mental health care.
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The research findings can be found in Journal of Medical Internet Research.
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