Heavy ChatGPT usage linked to lower motivation and engagement

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT into academic settings is reshaping how students learn, work, and engage with their studies. While these technologies promise efficiency and innovation, their growing presence raises questions about their broader psychological and academic effects. In a comprehensive new analysis, Metin Besalti explores the relationship between ChatGPT usage, self-control, and academic wellbeing among university students.

The study, “Harnessing Self-Control and AI: Understanding ChatGPT’s Impact on Academic Wellbeing,” published in Behavioral Sciences in 2025, provides empirical evidence that highlights both the benefits and potential drawbacks of relying on generative AI. The research is built on a two-phase sequential design, adapting and validating the ChatGPT Usage Scale for Turkish students before examining how usage patterns interact with self-regulation and wellbeing.

How ChatGPT usage intersects with self-control

The study explores how frequent use of ChatGPT correlates with students’ ability to regulate their academic behaviors. The research adapted an existing ChatGPT Usage Scale, ensuring it was reliable and culturally relevant for the Turkish university context. Validation through confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the scale accurately captures the intensity and patterns of ChatGPT use across diverse student populations.

In the second phase, involving 449 participants, the study applied advanced statistical models to analyze correlations and causal pathways. The findings revealed a weak but significant negative association between ChatGPT use and self-control. Students who engaged more heavily with ChatGPT demonstrated slightly reduced capacities for self-regulation, suggesting that over-reliance on AI for academic tasks might impede independent decision-making and time management skills.

Self-control, as measured in the study, represents students’ ability to manage distractions, delay gratification, and maintain consistent study habits. The data clearly indicated that diminished self-regulation can subtly erode academic focus, highlighting a behavioral trade-off in the integration of advanced AI technologies into educational routines.

Impact on academic wellbeing

Academic wellbeing, defined as students’ satisfaction, engagement, and motivation in their educational pursuits, emerged as a critical factor in the study’s findings. The research revealed a positive link between self-control and academic wellbeing, with students exhibiting higher self-regulation reporting better satisfaction, motivation, and engagement in their studies.

However, when the relationship between ChatGPT usage and academic wellbeing was examined, the results revealed a more complex picture. While moderate use of ChatGPT may support productivity and efficiency, higher reliance on the platform was associated with lower academic wellbeing. This decline was partly mediated by reduced self-control, indicating that heavy ChatGPT use can lead to a subtle but measurable erosion of students’ sense of achievement and engagement.

The findings underscore the delicate balance between the benefits of AI-assisted learning and the risks of overdependence. When students outsource significant portions of their cognitive workload to AI tools, they risk losing opportunities for deep engagement and critical thinking, both of which are foundational to long-term academic success and personal growth.

Strategies for balanced AI integration

The research emphasizes that the issue is not the technology itself, but how it is used. For educators and academic institutions, the findings provide a roadmap for fostering healthier, more balanced engagement with AI tools in learning environments.

First, the study highlights the importance of developing digital literacy programs that teach students how to engage critically and thoughtfully with AI platforms. Rather than discouraging the use of ChatGPT, educators are encouraged to integrate it in ways that promote active learning and problem-solving.

Second, the study recommends training students in self-regulation techniques to help them manage their AI usage. By building stronger behavioral frameworks around technology use, students can better leverage AI as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, their academic efforts.

Finally, the research calls for institutional support systems, such as workshops and counseling programs, to address the psychological impacts of AI adoption. Academic environments must evolve to provide resources that ensure students are not only technically proficient but also emotionally resilient in an increasingly AI-driven landscape.

Limitations and future directions

The study acknowledges its limitations while opening avenues for further exploration. The cross-sectional design means that causality cannot be fully established. While significant relationships between ChatGPT usage, self-control, and academic wellbeing were identified, longitudinal studies are needed to track these dynamics over time.

Another limitation stems from the reliance on self-reported data, which can be influenced by biases or inaccuracies in students’ perceptions of their own technology use. Incorporating objective usage metrics, such as app activity logs, would strengthen future research.

Additionally, the study’s focus on Turkish university students may limit its global applicability. Cultural variations in technology adoption, academic pressures, and attitudes toward AI mean that more diverse, multi-country studies are needed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon.