SynthesisFrontiers in psychology2026
Generative AI in higher education: a meta-analysis of intellectual and social-emotional outcomes.
Synthesis in Frontiers in psychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
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Abstract
Background: Generative AI has rapidly entered higher education, yet evidence on its effects across learning domains remains fragmented. This study synthesized experimental evidence on whether generative AI improves intellectual outcomes and social emotional outcomes among higher education students. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted on 33 experimental and quasi-experimental studies involving 3,394 participants. The included studies were published between 2021 and 2024, and the literature search encompassed the period from database inception to January 26, 2026. Random-effects models in Stata 18 were used to estimate pooled effects for intellectual outcomes and social emotional outcomes, and publication bias, sensitivity analyses, and moderator analyses were also performed. Results: Generative AI demonstrated a significant positive effect on intellectual outcomes (Hedges' Conclusion: Generative AI appears to be a promising educational resource in higher education, particularly for intellectual outcomes, although the current evidence base remains heterogeneous and methodologically uneven. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD420261361622.
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