Effects of a Humanoid Socially Assistive Robot Versus Tablet Training on Psychosocial and Physical Outcomes of Persons With Dementia: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study

Sandra Schüssler; Julia Zuschnegg; Lucas Paletta; Maria Fellner; Gerald Lodron; Josef Steiner; Sandra Pansy-Resch; Lara Lammer; Dimitrios Prodromou; Sebastian Brunsch; Magdalena Holter; Lorenzo Carnevale; Silvia Russegger

doi:10.2196/14927

Effects of a Humanoid Socially Assistive Robot Versus Tablet Training on Psychosocial and Physical Outcomes of Persons With Dementia: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study

JMIR Res Protoc. 2020 Feb 3;9(2):e14927. doi: 10.2196/14927.

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Nursing Science, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
² Institut Digital, Joanneum Research Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Graz, Austria.
³ Sozialverein Deutschlandsberg, Deutschlandsberg, Austria.
⁴ Humanizing Technologies GmbH, Vienna, Austria.
⁵ Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Documentation, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.

PMID: 32022697
PMCID: PMC7055795
DOI: 10.2196/14927

Abstract

Background: New technologies, like socially assistive robots (SARs), may have the potential to support caregivers at home. Still, the evidence for people with dementia in home care is unclear because a lot of studies are performed in a laboratory or institutional setting, and mainly use robots in prototype stages.

Objective: This study aims to explore the effects of the refined, commercially-available, humanoid SAR Pepper combined with a tablet PC-based dementia training program (Coach Pepper) versus an exclusively tablet PC-based dementia training program on psychosocial and physical outcomes of people with dementia living at home, including caregivers and dementia trainers. We hypothesize that Coach Pepper has a more positive effect on the primary outcome motivation (stable or decreased apathy) of people with dementia.

Methods: A mixed methods study will be performed, including a randomized controlled, parallel, 2-arm study with a complementary qualitative part. This sample includes 40 PWD living at home and 40 relatives, each complemented with five professional caregivers and dementia trainers. The intervention group will receive Coach Pepper (a SAR connected with a tablet PC-based dementia training program), and the control group will receive exclusively tablet PC-based training without the SAR. The duration of the intervention will be three weeks per household. Data will be collected at baseline and during and after the intervention by standardized questionnaires, sensor data of the robot, and tablet PC, as well as semistructured interviews, focus groups, and observation.

Results: To date, no results are available for this study protocol. The study intervention started in May 2019 and will end in Spring 2020.

Conclusions: The intervention of this study can be seen as a nonpharmacological intervention, including cognitive and physical training by a robot. This study will help to further refine SAR for the specific needs of people with dementia living at home.

International registered report identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/14927.

Keywords: care burden; caregiver; cognitive training; dementia; dementia trainers; home care; humanoid robot; motivation; physical training; socially assistive robot.

©Sandra Schüssler, Julia Zuschnegg, Lucas Paletta, Maria Fellner, Gerald Lodron, Josef Steiner, Sandra Pansy-Resch, Lara Lammer, Dimitrios Prodromou, Sebastian Brunsch, Magdalena Holter, Lorenzo Carnevale, Silvia Russegger. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 27.01.2020.