A Study of the Correlation Between the Severity of Substance Use Disorder and the Intensity of Dependence on Generative Artificial Intelligence

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Questionnaire assessment: Administration of a single cross-sectional self-questionnaire assessing generative AI dependency (11-item GAIDS scale), DSM-5 substance use disorder criteria (0 to 11 criteria), and sociodemographic data, followed by a personalized debriefing and clinical restitution interview with an investigator (total duration: approximately 15 minutes).

Study summary

This bicentric, cross-sectional observational study conducted in France evaluates the relationship between substance use disorder (SUD) severity and generative artificial intelligence dependency among outpatients treated in specialized addiction care centers (CSAPA).

While conversational generative artificial intelligence tools have seen rapid widespread adoption, potential problematic usage and cognitive dependency remain poorly documented in clinical addictology. Outpatients followed for substance use disorders present shared cognitive, reward-processing, and behavioral vulnerabilities that may heighten their susceptibility to emerging digital dependencies.

Eligible adult patients complete a single 15-minute evaluation comprising the Generative Artificial Intelligence Dependency Scale (GAIDS; 11 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 to 5, total score range: 11 to 55) and the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria checklist for their primary substance of abuse, alongside sociodemographic characteristics. Clinical data, including documented psychiatric comorbidities, are extracted in parallel from electronic health records. Following questionnaire completion, participants receive a dedicated debriefing and clinical restitution interview with an investigator.

The primary objective is to evaluate the linear correlation between SUD severity (number of validated DSM-5 criteria, from 0 to 11) and generative artificial intelligence dependency intensity (total raw GAIDS score). Secondary objectives aim to describe generative artificial intelligence dependency levels across specific primary substance classes (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, cocaine, opioids, etc.), documented comorbid psychiatric disorders (e.g., mood disorders, ADHD, anxiety, personality disorders), and sociodemographic subgroups (age brackets, sex, education, and occupational status).

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Correlation coefficient between substance use disorder severity and generative AI dependency — Baseline (single cross-sectional assessment, Day 0)
  Linear correlation coefficient (Pearson or Spearman, depending on distribution normality) between the number of validated DSM-5 criteria for the primary substance (score ranging from 0 to 11, higher scores indicate greater severity) and the total raw score on the Generative Artificial Intelligence Dependency Scale (GAIDS; 11 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 to 5; total score range: 11 to 55; higher scores suggest greater dependency).

Trial sites (1)

More Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice trials in France

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