Nearly half of participants experiencing severe psychological distress in a study of Israeli generative AI users said they had sought emotional support from the technology. The research highlights the growing use of general-purpose chatbots for personal guidance, but does not establish whether those conversations improve or worsen users’ well-being.
The study was led by Dr. Dorit Hadar Shoval of the School of Psychology at Tel Hai College of the Galilee in Kiryat Shmona, together with Elad Refoua of Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, it examined links between psychological distress, attachment styles and the use of AI for emotional assistance.
Researchers surveyed 584 Israeli adults aged 18 to 70 who had used a general-purpose generative AI tool at least once during the preceding year. Participants were recruited through an online panel in November 2025. Hadar Shoval emphasized that the findings describe this sample of AI users and cannot be treated as representative of Israel’s population.
Overall, 29.3% of respondents reported turning to AI at least once for emotional support, coping advice or mental health-related assistance. Among the 66 participants whose psychological distress was rated severe, the proportion reached 47%. Another 119 participants had medium levels of distress. Hadar Shoval distinguished these measures of emotional stress from mental illness.
Psychological distress emerged as the variable most strongly associated with seeking AI support. Younger respondents and women were also more likely to report such use than older participants and men. Higher attachment anxiety was initially linked to seeking assistance, but it ceased to be a significant predictor once distress was taken into account. The study could not establish which of those closely related factors came first.
Speaking to The Jerusalem Post, Hadar Shoval said the appeal of these systems includes their availability and the opportunity to discuss difficult experiences without feeling judged. Their conversational responses can also encourage emotional attachment. Yet tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini were not developed to provide mental health care, and the researchers warned that consumer systems lack the clinical responsibilities and recognized crisis safeguards associated with professional support.
The survey did not determine whether AI conversations helped participants cope, delayed professional treatment or intensified distress. It also did not establish whether respondents used chatbots instead of professional care. The reported use covered anything from a single exchange to more sustained engagement, leaving questions about how people rely on these systems in everyday emotional situations.
The researchers called for closer attention from clinicians, policymakers and other researchers, including investigation of crisis responses and whether AI supplements or replaces professional assistance. Hadar Shoval said shortages of accessible public mental health services help explain why distressed people seek readily available alternatives. She nevertheless stressed the need for professional help with serious problems and cautioned against trusting a chatbot to recognize an acute mental health crisis.
