Zuschnegg Julia, Häussl Alfred, Lodron Gerald, Orgel Thomas, Russegger Silvia, Schneeberger Michael, Fellner Maria, Holter Magdalena, Prodromou Dimitrios, Schultz Anna, Roller-Wirnsberger Regina, Paletta Lucas, Koini Marisa, Schüssler Sandra
Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Int J Nurs Stud. 2025 Feb;162:104967. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2024.104967. Epub 2024 Nov 30.
Dementia rates are rising globally, impacting healthcare systems and society. The care of people with dementia is largely provided by informal caregivers (e.g., family, friends), which can present significant challenges and increase caregivers' burden. New technologies, such as humanoid socially assistive robots, show promise in reducing this burden, as such robots were considered to be supportive devices for both informal caregivers and people with dementia.
To explore the psychosocial effects of the humanoid social assistive robot Coach Pepper (equipped with functions like tablet-based multimodal training for people with dementia) compared to exclusively tablet-based multimodal training for people with dementia on informal caregivers. Additionally, informal caregivers' attitudes and experiences with Coach Pepper were examined.
A randomised controlled parallel two-arm trial with a nested qualitative study was conducted.
The study took place in the home setting (i.e. private households).
Thirty-two informal caregivers of people with dementia participated in the study.
Informal caregivers (and their loved one with dementia) were randomly assigned to Coach Pepper (n = 16) or a solely tablet-based multimodal training (n = 16) for a three-week period. Data for caregivers were collected at baseline and after the intervention by standardised questionnaires for caregiver burden (primary outcome), quality of life, depressive symptoms and affect. Additionally, acceptance was measured in both groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted in the Coach Pepper group post-interventionally.
No significant differences in mean changes between groups were identified in the outcomes, except that two domains of acceptance (usefulness and accessibility) were rated significantly higher for the control group. Qualitative findings showed mostly positive attitudes towards Coach Pepper in dementia care and neutral feelings on caregiver burden. Caregivers reported usefulness of Coach Pepper on being assistive in six components of human needs: 'learning ability', 'recreational activities', 'contact with others', 'mobility/body posture', 'communication' and 'avoiding danger'. However, they recommended further improvement in all fourteen components of human needs.
Coach Pepper had no significant psychosocial effects on informal caregivers of people with dementia. Qualitative findings demonstrated the participants' positive attitudes but highlighted a need for improvements regarding Coach Pepper's usability.
NCT03818217 (date of registration: 09.01.2019; date of first recruitment: 04.02.2019).
全球痴呆症发病率不断上升，对医疗保健系统和社会产生影响。痴呆症患者的护理主要由非正式护理人员（如家人、朋友）提供，这可能带来重大挑战并增加护理人员的负担。诸如人形社交辅助机器人等新技术有望减轻这种负担，因为此类机器人被认为是对非正式护理人员和痴呆症患者都有帮助的设备。
探讨与仅针对痴呆症患者的基于平板电脑的多模式训练相比，人形社交辅助机器人“胡椒教练”（配备针对痴呆症患者的基于平板电脑的多模式训练等功能）对非正式护理人员的心理社会影响。此外，还研究了非正式护理人员对“胡椒教练”的态度和体验。
进行了一项带有嵌套定性研究的随机对照平行双臂试验。
研究在家庭环境（即私人家庭）中进行。
32名痴呆症患者的非正式护理人员参与了该研究。
非正式护理人员（及其患有痴呆症的亲人）被随机分配到“胡椒教练”组（n = 16）或仅基于平板电脑的多模式训练组（n = 16），为期三周。通过标准化问卷在基线和干预后收集护理人员关于护理负担（主要结果）、生活质量、抑郁症状和情感的数据。此外，对两组进行接受度测量，并在干预后对“胡椒教练”组进行半结构化访谈。
除了对照组在接受度的两个领域（有用性和可及性）评分显著更高外，两组在结果的平均变化方面未发现显著差异。定性研究结果表明，护理人员对“胡椒教练 ”在痴呆症护理方面大多持积极态度，对护理负担感受中立。护理人员报告了“胡椒教练”在满足人类需求的六个方面有帮助：“学习能力”、“娱乐活动”、“与他人接触”、“行动能力/身体姿势”、“沟通”和“避免危险”。然而，他们建议在人类需求的所有14个方面进一步改进。
“胡椒教练”对痴呆症患者的非正式护理人员没有显著的心理社会影响。定性研究结果表明参与者持积极态度，但突出了对“胡椒教练”可用性进行改进的必要性。
NCT03818217（注册日期：2019年1月9日；首次招募日期：2019年2月4日）。
