From screens to minds: the mediating role of psychological well-being between digital reading and AI anxiety

Introduction: This study investigates the mediating role of psychological well-being in the relationship between digital reading disposition and artificial intelligence (AI) anxiety among Turkish teachers. Addressing the growing concern of technology-related anxiety in education, the research explores how digital literacy and psychological resilience interact within a single structural model. Methods: A correlational research design was employed with data collected from 324 teachers. Participants completed the Digital Reading Disposition Scale, the Psychological Well-Being Scale, and the Artificial Intelligence Anxiety Scale. Bootstrapped structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the measurement model and the hypothesized mediation effect. Prior to SEM analysis, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to establish construct validity of the scales. Results: Findings revealed that digital reading disposition was positively associated with psychological well-being and negatively linked with AI anxiety. Psychological well-being was also negatively related to AI anxiety. Moreover, psychological well-being partially mediated the relationship between digital reading disposition and AI anxiety. Discussion: The results suggest that teachers with stronger digital reading dispositions experience higher psychological well-being, which in turn buffers against AI-related anxiety. These findings contribute novel theoretical insights to educational literature by integrating digital reading, psychological well-being, and AI anxiety into a single model. Practically, the study underscores the importance of fostering digital literacy and psychological resilience to mitigate technology-related anxiety in educational settings.