Social Robots in Psychiatry for Patients Suffering from Major Depression-A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Human-Robot Interaction
• Digital Therapeutics

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated interest in digital media, including humanoid social robots, for psychiatric and psychotherapeutic applications.
• Humanoid social robots offer novel avenues for patient interaction and therapeutic support in mental healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the attitudes and experiences of patients with depressive disorders and healthy subjects interacting with the humanoid social robot "Pepper".
• To assess user-friendliness, perceived human-likeness, and overall acceptance of social robots in a clinical context.

Main Methods:

• Thirty patients with depressive disorders and 30 healthy subjects interacted with the "Pepper" robot in a standardized setting.
• Participants completed questionnaires assessing user-friendliness (System Usability Scale) and their attitudes towards the robot.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found in perceived user-friendliness between depressed patients and healthy subjects.
• Depressed patients reported greater willingness to use the robot and felt safer in its presence, despite finding it less easy to use.
• Depressed patients attributed fewer human-like qualities to the robot and saw it as less of an enrichment compared to healthy subjects.

Conclusions:

• Depressed patients exhibit a critical yet favorable attitude towards social robots, comparable to healthy individuals.
• Findings suggest that patients with depressive disorders are receptive to robot applications in Germany, warranting further clinical exploration.
• Social robots like "Pepper" hold potential for expanded use in psychiatric and psychotherapeutic practices.