Body-Related Vulnerabilities, Cyberchondria, and Trust in AI-Generated Health Information Among Adolescents: The Moderating Role of eHealth Literacy

Abstract

The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools for health-related information raises important questions about the psychological factors that shape trust in AI-generated health advice. The present study examined whether cyberchondria mediates the relationship between body image-related variables and trust in AI-generated health advice, and whether eHealth literacy moderates these associations. The sample included 189 urban high-school students from Romania. Participants completed self-report measures assessing body self-esteem, body-related affect, cyberchondria, eHealth literacy, and trust in AI-generated health advice. Body Mass Index was calculated based on self-reported height and weight. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 20 and the PROCESS macro. Mediation analyses showed that cyberchondria mediated the relationship between body-related affect and trust in AI-generated health advice, as well as the relationship between body self-esteem and trust in AI-generated health advice, while controlling for age, gender, and BMI. Specifically, adolescents who reported more negative emotions regarding their bodies and lower body self-esteem also reported higher levels of cyberchondria, which in turn was associated with greater trust in AI-generated health advice. Moderation analyses indicated that eHealth literacy did not moderate the associations between body image-related variables and AI trust; however, eHealth literacy was positively associated with trust in AI-generated health advice. These findings suggest that cyberchondria may represent an important pathway linking body image-related vulnerability to increased receptivity toward AI-generated health guidance. The results highlight the need to consider psychological vulnerability, online health information-seeking patterns, and digital health literacy when evaluating adolescents’ trust in AI-based health tools.