The Impact of Supportive Artificial Intelligence Systems on Mitigating Psychological Burnout among Depressed Patients: A Case Study at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

This study investigates the impact of supportive artificial intelligence (AI) systems on mitigating psychological burnout among university students experiencing depressive symptoms, through a case study conducted at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. The research was carried out on a purposive sample of ۱۵۰ postgraduate students aged ۲۵–۳۰ years, including ۹۰ female (۶۰%) and ۶۰ male (۴۰%) participants, selected from various faculties such as engineering, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Given the increasing prevalence of psychological burnout and depression among university students, this study explores the potential of AI-based interventions, including chatbots and personalized digital therapy applications, to enhance mental health outcomes. Using a mixed-methods research design, quantitative data were collected through standardized instruments, including the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), while qualitative insights were obtained via semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that supportive AI systems significantly reduce emotional exhaustion and depressive symptoms by enhancing students’ sense of belonging, a critical determinant of psychological resilience and mental health recovery. Moreover, the results demonstrate that continuous, personalized, and accessible AI-driven support improves students’ coping strategies, emotional regulation, and overall psychological well-being. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on digital mental health interventions by providing empirical evidence of AI’s effectiveness in alleviating psychological burnout among university students and offers practical implications for integrating intelligent support systems into academic mental health services.

کلیدواژه ها:

Artificial Intelligence ، Psychological Burnout ، Mental Health ، Sense of Belonging ، University Students