GROWING UP WITH AI: PSYCHOSOCIAL CHALLENGES OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

Abstract

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in the educational and home contexts has given way to a new psychological territory for young children aged between five and twelve years. As the use of AI technology becomes increasingly normalized in the lives of young children, issues such as AI-induced anxiety, social-emotional problems, lack of self-efficacy, ethical dilemma, dependence on screen time, and unequal access to AI literacy have emerged .The present literature review combines research from areas like developmental psychology, school counseling theories, educational technology, child psychiatry, media studies, and ethics to develop an understanding of the developing landscape of counseling in light of the new technologies being used in elementary education. Six themes have been discussed including the extent of the use of AI technologies by elementary students, issues related to AI induced anxiety and existential worries, impact on social and emotional development, issues related to self-efficacy and identity formation, ethical confusion and moral development in AI-based environment, and lastly the topic of equity and access and digital divide.The literature converges on the conclusion that AI is reshaping the developmental landscape of elementary childhood in ways the counselling profession has not yet adequately recognized or addressed.