Teen Self‑Image, AI Bonds, and Exercise: What Links Mood and Screen Time

The researchers gathered data from 1,622 Chinese middle‑school pupils in November 2025. They used a multistage stratified design to reach a diverse group of students. Each teen completed a short questionnaire that measured self‑centered tendencies, worry levels, how much they relied on AI chatbots for emotional support, and how often they moved. The tools included the FFNI‑SF, the GAD‑2, a five‑item scale adapted for LLM dependence, and the PARS‑3 activity checklist. Statistical work involved Pearson correlations, PROCESS Models 4 and 7 with 5,000 bootstrap resamples, and a Johnson‑Neyman probing for interaction.

Results showed that teens who scored higher on self‑centered traits also reported more anxiety (r = 0.118, p < 0.001) and stronger emotional ties to AI chatbots (r = 0.301, p < 0.001). Anxiety itself was linked to greater chatbot dependence (r = 0.146, p < 0.001). In contrast, students who were more active physically tended to feel less anxious (r = ‑0.119, p < 0.001) and were less emotionally attached to AI helpers (r = ‑0.075, p = 0.002). After accounting for grade level and left‑behind status, anxiety explained a tiny part of the connection between self‑centeredness and chatbot reliance (effect = 0.011, 95 % CI [0.004, 0.020]). The interaction between self‑centeredness and activity was significant (β = ‑0.056, p = 0.015), meaning the link between narcissism and anxiety weakened when activity levels rose above 0.73 SD. The overall moderated mediation effect was not reliable (index = ‑0.0061, 95 % bootstrap CI [‑0.0130, 0.0001]).

In plain terms, the study suggests that teens with stronger self‑centered tendencies are more likely to turn to AI for emotional comfort, and that worry plays a small role in that pattern. Regular exercise appears to buffer the stress that often accompanies self‑centered thinking, reducing both anxiety and the need for digital emotional support. While the indirect pathway through anxiety is modest, the direct tie between personality style and chatbot dependence is clear. The findings hint that promoting physical activity could be a simple way to lower both mental strain and over‑reliance on AI friends among young people.

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