Dear AI: A scoping review of post-secondary students’ use, experiences, and self-reported outcomes related to the use of AI tools for mental health support
Merlin Tang, Jillian Stringer, K. Alix Hayden, Hannah Storrs, Pedro Velmovitsky, Vincent Paquin, Tanya Halsall, David Lindenbach, Thomas Joiner, Caitlyn Frizzle, Gina Dimitropoulos, Sarah Kever, Jennifer Thannhauser, Julia Hews-GirardBackground
Globally, 35% of post-secondary students experience mental health concerns. Barriers to accessing support include wait times, stigma, and limited on-campus resources. The rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has positioned it as a promising tool to support student mental health; however, its use for this purpose has not been adequately explored.
Objective
To assess factors influencing post-secondary students’ use of AI tools for mental health support and identify implications for the implementation of these tools.
Methods
We used JBI methodology and included peer-reviewed and grey literature published up to September 10 th , 2026. Six databases were searched, along with relevant organizational websites, for sources involving post-secondary use of AI tools for mental health support. PRISMA-ScR was used for reporting.
Results
Ninety-five sources were included. Most reported high acceptability of AI tools for mental health support, particularly purpose-built tools. Four themes were identified: (i) perceived utility of AI in delivering self-guided therapeutic interventions; (ii) persistent gap in perceived empathetic and emotional understanding capabilities of AI tools; (iii) significant diversity among AI models, (iv) how students use specific terminology to categorize AI tools based on intended function. How students use all-purpose AI tools for mental health support remains underexplored.
Conclusion
Among post-secondary students, purpose-built AI tools appear to be acceptable adjuncts to traditional mental health and wellness supports. Work exploring risks and benefits of use of these tools over the long-term and how students use these tools within their day-to-day activities is needed to inform guidance for safe and effective implementation of AI tools within campus mental health pathways.