Shaping the Self in the Age of AI: The Relationship Between AI Engagement, Identity Development, and Mental Health Among Adolescents

Abstract

This research investigates the expanding role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the everyday lives of adolescents, examining how it influences their learning processes, social connections, and ethical reasoning. Adopting a quantitative design, the study examines the extent to which AI technologies have become integrated into teenage experiences and the impact of this integration on behavior, relationships, and psychological well-being. The discussion remains balanced, outlining both the opportunities AI presents for growth and innovation, as well as the risks it poses if left unchecked. Central to this work is the call for responsible development and mindful use of AI to ensure it supports, rather than disrupts, healthy adolescent development.

The study focuses on how sustained interaction with AI-driven platforms, i.e., social media, chatbots, and recommendation algorithms, shapes adolescents’ identity development and social value formation. To test the research hypotheses, a sample of 400 teenagers aged, participants was tested on some standardized psychological tools to assess the traits like AI engagement, self-concept clarity, moral orientation, susceptibility to algorithm-influenced norms, and mental health outcomes (including anxiety, depression, and loneliness). Three hypotheses were examined in total through Pearson correlation analyses, multiple regression models, and independent-samples t-tests.