The Impact of AI Attachment, Perceived Stress, and Self-Reliance among College Students in a Newly Established State University Campus

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between AI attachment, perceived stress, and self-reliance among col-lege students at Cebu Technological University-Toledo City during School Year 2025-2026. Employing a de-scriptive correlational design, data were collected from 239 respondents selected through stratified sampling using a four-part adopted questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Co-efficient were utilized for data analysis. Findings indicated that the majority of respondents were 20-21 years old, predominantly male, with three to four siblings, and enrolled as second-year Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management students. ChatGPT emerged as the most frequently used AI application, primarily for academic purposes. Participants demonstrated moderate levels of AI attachment and perceived stress, alongside a high level of self-reliance. Correlation analysis revealed negligible relationships between varia-bles: a weak positive correlation between AI attachment and self-reliance, and a weak negative correlation between perceived stress and self-reliance. However, both relationships were not statistically significant. Therefore, self-reliance may be considered as a distinct construct that operates independently of how stu-dents perceive stress or interact with AI. Based on these findings, the study recommends the implementation of psychoeducational wellness program to address students’ emotional and behavioral stress, promote re-sponsible and balanced used of AI technologies and further enhance self-reliance.