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World J Psychiatry. Nov 19, 2026; 16(11): 123076
Published online Nov 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.123076
Published online Nov 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.123076
Help-seeking attitudes, stigma and artificial intelligence counseling preferences among university students
Zhi-Lei Shang, Yan-Pu Jia, Li-Li Wu, Wen-Jie Yan, Wei-Zhi Liu, Lab for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Faculty of Psychology and Mental Health, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
Zhao-Yao Zou, Jia-Qi Zhou, Qi-Ze Jin, Wen-Yu Zhao, The Battalion 9 of Cadet Brigade, School of Basic Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
Tuan-Jie Liu, Department of Neurology, Wusong Central Hospital, Shanghai 200940, China
Nian-Qi Liu, Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350005, Fujian Province, China
Nian-Qi Liu, Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Educational Science, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, Hubei Province, China
Co-first authors: Zhi-Lei Shang and Zhao-Yao Zou.
Co-corresponding authors: Wei-Zhi Liu and Nian-Qi Liu.
Author contributions: Shang ZL and Zou ZY contributed to the writing of this article and the investigation and collection of the data and are the co-first authors; Jia YP, Liu TJ, Zhou JQ, Jin QZ, Zhao WY, Wu LL, and Yan WJ contributed to the statistical analysis and revised the article; Liu NQ and Liu WZ led the whole study, including putting this study forward and carrying out the study; they are the co-corresponding authors.
AI contribution statement: The authors take full responsibility and accountability for all content of this manuscript, including any portions for which AI tools were used as assistive technologies. All AI-assisted outputs were carefully reviewed, validated, and approved by the authors. AI tools were not used to generate original scientific data, perform independent scientific analyses, or draw scientific conclusions.
Supported by Innovation and Practice Ability Incubation Base Project for Undergraduate Students of Naval Medical University, No. FH2026.
Institutional review board statement: The research protocol was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Naval Medical University in China.
Informed consent statement: Electronic informed consent was obtained from all individuals prior to data collection.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement—a checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement-a checklist of items.
Data sharing statement: The datasets generated or analyzed during this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Corresponding author: Wei-Zhi Liu, PhD, Professor, Lab for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Faculty of Psychology and Mental Health, Naval Medical University, No. 800 Xiangyin Road, Shanghai 200433, China. 13024141970@163.com
Received: May 15, 2026
Revised: June 24, 2026
Accepted: September 16, 2026
Published online: November 19, 2026
Processing time: 167 Days and 18.5 Hours
Revised: June 24, 2026
Accepted: September 16, 2026
Published online: November 19, 2026
Processing time: 167 Days and 18.5 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Students who report the most severe symptoms and the highest levels of stigma are actually the ones who show the strongest preference for artificial intelligence (AI)-based counseling. This suggests AI can serve as a low-stigma, low-barrier entry point for those reluctant to seek traditional help. Meanwhile, human counselors still play an irreplaceable role in deeper therapeutic work. An integrated model combining both approaches is needed.