The Influence of Trust and Need Satisfaction on Young Adults’ Interactions with AI Chatbots for Emotional Support

Abstract

English: In light of the rising mental health challenges faced by young adults and the growing prevalence of generative AI, this study examines publicly available chatbots, i.e. ChatGPT, as a source of emotional support. The central question was: To what extent - beyond mere functional utility - can digital closeness between the user and the AI arise, and under what conditions are users willing to trust the system. The study followed a mixed-methods approach. First, a quantitative online survey (N = 235) was used to assess usage motives, technology acceptance, and core needs. Building on this, a qualitative study was conducted with eight participants, who engaged in two chat interactions with ChatGPT in the context of personal psychological distress. These dialogues were evaluated using mini-scales, supplemented by a concluding semi-structured interview to reflect on the experience. While ChatGPT was primarily viewed as an efficient tool in a work context, the quantitative survey reveals a weakly significant correlation between psychological stress and openness toward the social-emotional use of chatbots. However, actual use in sensitive topics was hindered by data security and other concerns.