{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T05:54:21Z","timestamp":1791179661766,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1791158400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Generative AI has become increasingly embedded in university students\u2019 academic learning, offering immediate feedback, content generation, and problem-solving support. Alongside these benefits, repeated reliance has raised concerns about problematic dependence on AI-mediated academic support. Drawing on an I-PACE-informed framework, this cross-sectional study examined psychological and academic factors associated with learning-related problematic reliance on generative AI, defined as a non-clinical, self-reported pattern rather than a clinical diagnosis. Data were obtained from a non-probability online sample of 242 university students who had used generative AI for learning-related purposes. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to examine associations among positive affect, generative-AI use self-efficacy, need for cognition, perceived usefulness, cognitive absorption, AI-based mood regulation, academic stress, and problematic reliance on generative AI. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was further used to identify configurations associated with high problematic-reliance membership and its set-theoretic complement. The PLS-SEM results showed that perceived usefulness, cognitive absorption, and academic stress were positively associated with problematic reliance on generative AI, whereas positive affect and AI-based mood regulation did not show significant direct associations. The fsQCA results indicated that no single condition was necessary for high problematic-reliance membership; instead, both outcome sets were associated with multiple configurations. The findings support a cautious distinction between problematic reliance, ordinary generative AI use, and technology acceptance, and they suggest potential implications for AI literacy and academic support in higher education.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1946110","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T05:31:52Z","timestamp":1791178312000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Problematic reliance on generative AI among university students: an I-PACE-informed PLS-SEM and fsQCA study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Guoqing","family":"Liu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Education, Minnan Normal University","place":["Zhangzhou, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Caisang","family":"Hou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong","place":["Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"665","DOI":"10.2307\/3250951","article-title":"Time flies when you\u2019re having fun: cognitive absorption and beliefs about information technology usage","volume":"24","author":"Agarwal","year":"2000","journal-title":"MIS Q."},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100294","DOI":"10.1016\/j.caeai.2024.100294","article-title":"ChatGPT seems too good to be true: college students\u2019 use and perceptions of generative AI","volume":"7","author":"Baek","year":"2024","journal-title":"Comp. 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