The Impact of Artificial Intelligence Interventions on Adolescent Mental Health: A Multidimensional Study Using ChatGPT, Gemini, and DeepSeek
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence Interventions on Adolescent Mental Health: A Multidimensional Study Using ChatGPT, Gemini, and DeepSeek
Abstract: Adolescent mental health is increasingly affected by complex stressors across academic, social, familial, and
identity-related domains. With the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI), tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and
DeepSeek offer new pathways for psychological support. This study investigates the impact of AI-based interventions on
adolescent mental health across multiple domains, including academic stress, peer relationships, family dynamics, gender
identity issues, financial concerns, and physical and psychological well-being.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 217 Thai high school students aged 15–18. Participants responded to
a structured questionnaire assessing their stress levels, emotional needs, and usage of AI platforms for support. Likert-scale
metrics were used to evaluate perceived effectiveness and satisfaction across each domain. Statistical analyses, including
correlation, t-tests, and ANOVA, were employed to explore relationships between stress factors, demographic variables, and
perceived AI impact.
Results indicate that while no statistically significant differences were found in AI satisfaction between gender or grade
levels, students experiencing high academic or social stress tended to report slightly higher engagement with AI tools.
Notably, AI was perceived as most helpful in academic support and emotional ventilation, especially among students facing
peer or family-related stress.
This research contributes to the understanding of AI’s potential as an accessible mental health intervention for
adolescents. It highlights the multidimensional roles generative AI tools can play in supplementing emotional well-being
support, while also emphasizing the need for further longitudinal and ethically guided studies.
Keywords: Adolescent Mental Health, Artificial Intelligence Interventions, ChatGPT, Generative AI, Psychological Support.
How to Cite: Pattaradit Samatha; Kasiya Duangyaiphuridech; Vipop Chunrunag; Atichaya Amattayakul; Pongkit
Ekvitayavetchanukul (2025). The Impact of Artificial Intelligence Interventions on Adolescent Mental Health: A
Multidimensional Study Using ChatGPT, Gemini, and DeepSeek. International Journal of Innovative
Science and Research Technology, 10(7), 2965-2972. https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25jul1857
adolescents globally experiences a mental health disorder, academic stress, peer problems, family conflict, financial
with stress, anxiety, and depression being among the most hardship, health concerns, and gender/identity-related
prevalent conditions. In Thailand, recent national surveys challenges. The use of structured questionnaires allowed for
suggest an increasing trend in psychological distress among the analysis of both the frequency and depth of AI
high school students, exacerbated by academic expectations engagement, as well as the perceived effectiveness of these
and limited access to mental health resources. tools as emotional or cognitive support systems.
In parallel, the field of artificial intelligence (AI) has This Design Was Appropriate for the Study Objectives
rapidly evolved to offer novel tools that support human Because:
interaction, learning, and psychological coping. In particular,
Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT (OpenAI), It allowed for multivariate analysis of stress domains and
Gemini (Google DeepMind), and DeepSeek (Chinese LLM) demographic variables.
are now capable of producing emotionally intelligent, It enabled comparisons between subgroups (e.g., gender,
coherent, and personalized conversations. These tools are grade level, stress level).
increasingly accessible to teenagers and are frequently used It captured non-clinical, real-world use cases of AI
not only for academic assistance but also for emotional outside formal therapeutic settings.
support, social simulation, and identity exploration.
The study's design emphasized ethical administration,
Although prior studies have explored AI applications anonymous participation, and practical relevance to modern
in education and healthcare, limited empirical research exists adolescent experiences with digital technologies. The
on how adolescents engage with AI tools for mental health- outcomes from this design contribute to the understanding of
related needs across multiple life domains. Most existing AI as a supplementary psychological support mechanism
literature has focused on either clinical interventions using in educational environments.
AI-driven chatbots or narrowly defined use cases such as
suicide prevention or therapy augmentation. There remains a Participants
significant gap in understanding how non-clinical, everyday Participants and Sampling
interactions with generative AI may influence adolescent
psychological wellbeing, particularly in educational contexts Participants
in Southeast Asia. The study included a total of 217 high school students
from three urban secondary schools in Thailand. Participants
This study seeks to address that gap by exploring the were between the ages of 15 and 18 years, encompassing
perceived impact of AI interventions on adolescent mental students from Matthayom 4 to Matthayom 6 (equivalent to
health across eight major domains: academic stress, peer Grades 10 to 12). The gender distribution was approximately
relationships, family problems, gender/identity issues, health 55% female and 45% male, reflecting the typical
concerns, financial challenges, and overall emotional stress. demographic ratio of the schools selected.
Using a survey-based methodology, we investigate how high
school students in Thailand interact with AI tools such as All Participants Were Currently Enrolled in Formal
ChatGPT, Gemini, and DeepSeek, and how these interactions Education Programs Under the Thai Ministry of
are perceived in terms of emotional support, self- Education Curriculum. Inclusion Criteria Required that
understanding, and problem-solving. By adopting a Students:
multidimensional lens, this research contributes to the
growing discourse on ethical and effective integration of AI Were between 15–18 years of age
in youth mental health frameworks, offering practical Provided informed consent (along with parental consent)
implications for educators, developers, and policymakers. Had at least basic experience or awareness of AI tools
(e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, DeepSeek)
II. METHODOLOGY
Students with diagnosed psychiatric conditions
Study Design requiring clinical supervision were excluded from
This research employed a quantitative, cross- participation to focus on general adolescent populations in
sectional survey design aimed at evaluating the perceived non-clinical settings.
impact of artificial intelligence (AI) interventions—
specifically ChatGPT, Gemini, and DeepSeek—on various Sampling Method
aspects of adolescent mental health. The design was selected A stratified random sampling method was employed to
to facilitate the collection of standardized self-reported data ensure balanced representation across gender and grade level.
from a large group of high school students within a limited The population was first stratified into subgroups by grade
time frame. (M.4, M.5, M.6) and gender (male, female), after which
participants were randomly selected from each stratum.
A cross-sectional approach was chosen to capture a
snapshot of students' psychological stress and their This Sampling Strategy was Chosen to:
interactions with AI tools at a single point in time, enabling
statistical comparison across multiple variables such as Minimize sampling bias
Ensure that data reflect variations across school levels and Demographics:
gender identities Age, gender, grade level, and prior experience with
Support subgroup comparisons in statistical analyses AI technologies.
(e.g., ANOVA)
Mental Health Domains:
A minimum sample size was determined based on Six constructs covering academic stress, peer
power analysis, with a confidence level of 95% and a margin issues, family relationships, gender identity, health
of error of ±5%, which yielded a minimum of 200 students. concerns, and financial stress.
The final count of 217 respondents exceeds this threshold,
ensuring adequate statistical power. AI Usage:
Frequency and context of using ChatGPT, Gemini,
III. RESEARCH INSTRUMENT and DeepSeek, including satisfaction and trust ratings.
IV. RESULTS AND FINDINGS compared to females (mean = 3.04). This may reflect
differences in how each group interacts with tools like
This section presents the statistical findings from the ChatGPT and Gemini.
survey of 217 Thai high school students (ages 15–18), with a
focus on (1) the distribution of mental health stressors, (2) Statistical Comparison by Stress Level
usage and perceived effectiveness of AI tools, and (3) the A t-test was conducted to compare AI satisfaction
relationship between psychological stress and AI between students with low (≤3) and high (>3) academic
engagement. stress:
Academic Stress: 3.00 Peer Issues: 3.00 By Grade: F (2, 214) = 2.14, p = 0.120 No significant
Family Problems: 2.94 Gender Identity Concerns: 2.99 difference
Health Issues: 2.99 Financial Stress: 3.04 By Gender: F (1, 215) = 1.60, p = 0.208 No significant
AI Satisfaction: 3.10 difference
These results suggest that students experienced Although numerical differences exist, none reached
moderate levels of stress across all domains, with slightly statistical significance at α = 0.05.
higher concern in peer relationships. Satisfaction with AI
tools was also moderate. Correlation Analysis
Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated
AI Usage and Satisfaction by Gender between AI satisfaction and each stress domain:
As shown in Table 3, both male and female students
reported similar levels of stress. However, male students
reported slightly higher satisfaction with AI (mean = 3.17)
There were no strong or statistically significant correlations between mental health domains and AI satisfaction.
Visual Findings
Fig1 Bar Charts Showed Slightly Higher AI Satisfaction among Males and Grade Students
in peer relationships and academic pressure. This aligns with manage everyday stressors. However, they should be used
existing literature indicating that academic competition and alongside, not in place of professional and human-centered
social comparison are primary stressors for Thai adolescents. mental health services.
The study is cross-sectional and does not track changes For Educators and Schools:
over time
Self-reported data may include bias or underreporting Integrate AI tools as optional supports within counseling
The sample was limited to Thai high school students in or well-being programs.
urban settings Promote mental health literacy to guide appropriate AI
AI tools evolve rapidly; results may not generalize to usage.
newer versions of ChatGPT or Gemini Provide training for teachers and counselors on
recognizing when students rely on AI for emotional
Recommendations for Future Research coping.
For AI Developers:
Longitudinal studies to assess how AI use affects mental Enhance AI models with emotionally adaptive feedback
health over time tuned to adolescent users.
Qualitative interviews to explore deeper emotional Incorporate wellness safeguards, such as disclaimers,
connections with AI crisis hotlines, and referral systems.
Investigate ethical and safety concerns, including Localize models with cultural and language-specific
context, especially for Southeast Asia.
misinformation and emotional dependency
For Policymakers:
Evaluate localized LLMs trained on youth-centric Thai
Recognize AI as a complementary digital mental health
cultural content
tool, not a substitute for clinical care.
Invest in research exploring AI ethics, safety, and mental
Conclusion of Discussion
health impact on youth.
AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and DeepSeek may
Develop policies to monitor AI use in education and
offer accessible and informal pathways for adolescents to
safeguard student privacy and emotional well-being.