Longitudinal Examination of the Relationship Between Virtual Companionship and Social Anxiety: Emotional Expression as a Mediator and Mindfulness as a Moderator

As the interweaving of human interaction and Artificial Intelligence (AI) intensifies, understanding the psychological impact, especially regarding social anxiety, of engaging with AI-driven virtual companionship becomes crucial. While a substantial body of research on social anxiety has concentrated on interactions between individuals, both online and offline, there is a noticeable deficit in explorations concerning how human-computer interactions influence social anxiety. This study offers a comprehensive, longitudinal examination of this underinvestigated relationship, intricately dissecting the roles of emotional expression and mindfulness within the context of AI-based interactions.