[erikgahner]

I wouldn't call this a minor detail (i.e., nitpicking), and it is worth pointing out again and again when these studies get public attention.

We should encourage stronger research designs (including A/B tests) if we care about the impact of AI use on mental health outcomes. A study like this one cannot say anything about the effect at all (it is even possible that AI use will have a positive impact on mental health).

[nDRDY]

The translation between academic boilerplate and its real-world meaning and ramifications should be much more widely known. I wish more people had been nitpicking such things around 6 years ago.

As for this research particular...pfff...I'm rooting for the collapse of this LLM-fuelled craze, so I'm biased.