Play-Based Activities with a CoderBot Robot on a Pediatric Ward: A Case Study

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Human-Robot Interaction
• Pediatric Healthcare

Background:

• Hospitalization is a stressful experience for children, potentially leading to negative psychological outcomes like anxiety and fear.
• There is a need for interventions to support the emotional well-being of hospitalized children.
• Play-based activities are recognized as beneficial for children's emotional regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of play-based activities with a CoderBot robot on the well-being of hospitalized children.
• To assess children's and caregivers' perceptions of robot-assisted interventions.
• To explore the potential of technology in mitigating the adverse psychological effects of hospitalization.

Main Methods:

• A single-setting intervention study involving 61 children in a pediatric short-term recovery ward.
• Utilized a mixed-method approach combining quantitative and qualitative data from children, parents, and nurses.
• Included field observation and multiple data sources to analyze the intervention's impact.

Main Results:

• Robot-based play activities were associated with enhanced well-being, particularly an increase in positive emotions among children.
• Both children and their caregivers reported the activity as enjoyable and interesting due to its innovative nature.
• The intervention demonstrated a positive effect on the emotional domain of hospitalized children.

Conclusions:

• Play-based activities with a CoderBot robot show promise as an intervention to improve the well-being of hospitalized children.
• The technologically innovative aspect of the robot contributed to the positive reception of the activity.
• Further research is warranted to explore the potential and limitations of robot-assisted interventions in pediatric settings.