Psychological consequences of AI-assisted training and the buffering role of mindfulness.
Wei Zhang, Zhihao Zhang, Peng-Cheng Chang, Qiu-Han Zhu, Du Wang
Acta Psychologica August 10, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2026.107595 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled factorial trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 160 |
| Population | Collegiate athletes |
| Interventions | AI-assisted training standard training mindfulness training |
| Duration | 8 weeks, with assessments at baseline, week 4, and week 8 |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | AI-assisted training without psychological support was associated with increases in perceived stress and AI dependence over 8 weeks, while concurrent mindfulness training substantially attenuated these stress increases. A significant AI × Mindfulness × Time interaction and difference-in-differences analyses supported a buffering effect, and mediation indicated mindfulness reduced stress partly through enhanced mindful awareness. |
Abstract
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into athletic training is accelerating, yet its psychological implications for athletes remain insufficiently understood. Drawing on the transactional model of stress and the stress-buffering framework of mindfulness, this study examined whether mindfulness training can mitigate adverse psychological responses associated with AI-assisted training. Using a randomized controlled factorial design, 160 collegiate athletes were assigned to AI-assisted training or standard training, with or without concurrent mindfulness intervention, and assessed at baseline, week 4, and week 8. Athletes exposed to AI-assisted training without psychological support exhibited increases in perceived stress and AI dependence over time. In contrast, these stress increases were substantially attenuated when mindfulness training was implemented alongside AI-assisted training. A significant AI × Mindfulness × Time interaction emerged for perceived stress at post-intervention, and difference-in-differences analyses corroborated a robust buffering effect. Mediation analyses further indicated that mindfulness training reduced stress partially through enhancing mindful awareness; a three-wave cross-lagged analysis showed that mindful awareness and stress were reciprocally related over time, with the hypothesized awareness-to-stress pathway remaining robust. Together, these findings suggest that AI-assisted training introduces a distinct form of evaluative pressure, and that mindfulness training may serve as an effective psychological buffer during the adoption of continuous algorithmic performance evaluation systems.