Within less than three years, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has reshaped not only learning practices in higher education but also the psychological landscape of student life. This paper presents a theoretical-analytical review of empirical research published between 2020 and 2026 on the impact of GenAI on students’ psychological well-being. Drawing on 32 sources indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, the study substantiates a three-loop model of psychological risk in GenAI-mediated learning: a technostress loop (techno-overload, techno-invasion, techno-uncertainty), a cognitive loop (cognitive offloading, “cognitive debt”, declining critical thinking) and an affective-relational loop (emotional dependence, loneliness, problematic use). The relationship between the intensity of GenAI use and well-being is shown to be non-linear and mediated by self-regulated learning, AI literacy and academic self-efficacy. A four-module psycho-pedagogical support programme, AI-WELL, designed to build students’ cognitive resilience, is proposed. The findings may inform digital-hygiene policy in Central Asian universities.
Students’ Psychological Well-Being in The Context of Generative Artificial Intelligence: Technostress, Cognitive Offloading and Emotional Dependence
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Abstract
References
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