# Understanding Teen Overreliance on AI Companion Chatbots Through Self-Reported Reddit Narratives

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.15783 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.15783/

## Key facts

- Cited by 12 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 22 of its 156 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 21 Jul 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 22 of 22)

- [RedditBias: A Real-World Resource for Bias Evaluation and Debiasing of Conversational Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.03521/) (2021)
- [How should my chatbot interact? A survey on human-chatbot interaction design](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1904.02743/) (2019)
- [Red Teaming Language Model Detectors with Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2305.19713/) (2023)
- [MindfulDiary: Harnessing Large Language Model to Support Psychiatric Patients' Journaling](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.05231/) (2023)
- [Large Language Models Are Zero-Shot Text Classifiers](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2312.01044/) (2023)
- [ChaCha: Leveraging Large Language Models to Prompt Children to Share Their Emotions about Personal Events](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2309.12244/) (2023)
- [Understanding the Impact of Long-Term Memory on Self-Disclosure with Large Language Model-Driven Chatbots for Public Health Intervention](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.11353/) (2024)
- [The Role of AI in Peer Support for Young People: A Study of Preferences for Human- and AI-Generated Responses](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.02711/) (2024)
- [Lessons From an App Update at Replika AI: Identity Discontinuity in Human-AI Relationships](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.14190/) (2024)
- [AI Chatbots for Mental Health: Values and Harms from Lived Experiences of Depression](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.18932/) (2025)
- [Appropriateness of Performance Indices for Imbalanced Data Classification: An Analysis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2008.11752/) (2020)
- [Understanding Generative AI Risks for Youth: A Taxonomy Based on Empirical Data](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.16383/) (2025)
- [Towards User-Centric Guidelines for Chatbot Conversational Design](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.06474/) (2023)
- [Community Archetypes: An Empirical Framework for Guiding Research Methodologies to Reflect User Experiences of Sense of Virtual Community](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2310.02515/) (2023)
- [AI-induced sexual harassment: Investigating Contextual Characteristics and User Reactions of Sexual Harassment by a Companion Chatbot](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.04299/) (2025)
- [CO-oPS: A Mobile App for Community Oversight of Privacy and Security](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.10258/) (2024)
- [Exploring the Impact of Anthropomorphism in Role-Playing AI Chatbots on Media Dependency: A Case Study of Xuanhe AI](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.17157/) (2024)
- [AI Mimicry and Human Dignity: Chatbot Use as a Violation of Self-Respect](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.05723/) (2025)
- [Designing for Disengagement: Challenges and Opportunities for Game Design to Support Children's Exit From Play](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.15400/) (2023)
- [Teen Talk: The Good, the Bad, and the Neutral of Adolescent Social Media Use](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.02358/) (2024)
- [Uncovering the Sociodemographic Fabric of Reddit](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.05049/) (2025)
- [Calculating Connection vs. Risk: Understanding How Youth Negotiate Digital Privacy and Security with Peers Online](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.22993/) (2025)

## Built on by (most cited first, 12 of 12)

- [CIRCLE: A Framework for Evaluating AI from a Real-World Lens](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2602.24055/) (2026)
- [Regulating Artificial Intimacy: From Locks and Blocks to Relational Accountability](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.18893/) (2026)
- [Technically Love: The Evolution of Human-AI Romance Discourse on Reddit](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.15333/) (2026)
- [Frictionless Love: Associations Between AI Companion Roles and Behavioral Addiction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.20011/) (2026)
- [AICompanionBench: Benchmarking LLMs-as-Judges for AI Companion Safety](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.04867/) (2026)
- [CounselReflect: Opportunities and Challenges for Designing Tools to Support Self-Reflection on Mental Health and Well-Being Conversations with AI](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.29429/) (2026)
- [Examining Human-Like Behaviors in LLMs: A Multi-Dimensional Analysis of Model Behaviors, User Factors, and System Prompts](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.18258/) (2026)
- [Beyond Feeling Better: Capability-Sustaining Emotional Dialogue as a Longitudinal Research Paradigm](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.27851/) (2026)
- [A Responsive Present, a Shared Past, a Social Other: Teens' Overreliance on Companion AI Chatbots](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.14843/) (2026)
- [Disrupted Companionship: A Risk Assessment Framework and Cross-Platform Quantitative Analysis of Psychosocial Responses to AI Companion Disruptions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.16907/) (2026)
- [Right Words, Wrong Moment: A Clinician-Grounded Analysis of Distress in 19,930 Conversations between Young People and ChatGPT](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.35953/) (2026)
- [Understanding Parents' Complex Views of AI for Children's Pretend Play](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2609.39906/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

AI companion chatbots are increasingly popular with teens. While these interactions are entertaining, they also risk overuse that can potentially disrupt offline daily life. We examined how adolescents describe reliance on AI companions, mapping their experiences onto behavioral addiction frameworks and exploring pathways to disengagement, by analyzing 318 Reddit posts made by users who self-disclosed as 13-17 years old on the Character.AI subreddit. We found teens often begin using chatbots for support or creative play, but these activities can deepen into strong attachments marked by conflict, withdrawal, tolerance, relapse, and mood regulation. Reported consequences include sleep loss, academic decline, and strained real-world connections. Disengagement commonly arises when teens recognize harm, re-engage with offline life, or encounter restrictive platform changes. We highlight specific risks of character-based companion chatbots based on teens' perspectives and introduce a design framework (CARE) for guidance for safer systems and setting directions for future teen-centered research.