Credit: Alex Knight via Wikimedia Commons
New Cambridge research reveals social robots boost emotional wellbeing and relieve pressure on carers, reshaping future caregiving
A new study from the University of Cambridge highlights the growing role of social robots in caregiving. Researchers have found that humanoid robots, such as the robot Pepper, can help alleviate stress, loneliness, and emotional pressure for informal caregivers.
By providing companionship and interactive support, these robotic assistants are showing promise as an innovative tool to ease the challenges faced by caregivers, pointing to a future where robots play an integral role in both emotional and practical care.
The study is available in the International Journal of Social Robotics.
Can social robots help tackle loneliness?
In a groundbreaking study, researchers have examined the influence of social robots on carers and discovered that regular interaction with a robot programmed to engage with them yields significant positive benefits. These include a reduction in feelings of loneliness and being overwhelmed, and an increase in emotional self-awareness.
“In other words, these conversations with a social robot gave caregivers something that they sorely lack – a space to talk about themselves,” said first author Dr Guy Laban from Cambridge’s Department of Computer Science and Technology.
The researchers established a five-week intervention with a group of informal caregivers, individuals who care for friends or family without receiving payment or formal training. Whilst caring can be rewarding, it can cause physical and emotional strain.
The researchers found that increased care, family responsibilities, a lack of personal space, and reduced social engagement are reasons why informal caregivers often report feeling lonely.
One coping strategy is self-disclosure and social sharing; however, this is often not possible for carers, who frequently face a lack of social support.
Pepper supported carers’ emotional needs
Participants in the study came from a range of backgrounds, including parents looking after their children with disabilities and older adults caring for a partner with dementia. They were able to chat with the humanoid robot Pepper twice a week over the course of five weeks.
The researchers monitored the carers’ perceptions of the robot and whether they saw Pepper as comforting. They were also interested in seeing how this, in turn, affected their moods, feelings of loneliness, and stress levels, as well as its impact on their emotional regulation.
After discussing everyday topics with Pepper, the carers’ moods improved, and they viewed the robot as a source of comfort.
“Over those five weeks, carers gradually opened up more,” said Laban. “They spoke to Pepper more freely, for longer than they had done at the start, and they also reflected more deeply on their own experiences.
“They told us that chatting to the robot helped them to open up, feel less lonely and overwhelmed, and reconnect with their own emotional needs.”
The researchers found that interacting with a social robot could help caregivers translate their unspoken emotions into a meaningful, shared understanding. For example, after the five-week intervention, carers reported a greater acceptance of their caregiving role, reappraising it more positively and with reduced feelings of blame towards others.
“Informal carers are often overwhelmed by emotional burdens and isolation,” said co-author Professor Emily Cross from ETH Zürich. “This study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first to show that a series of conversations with a robot about themselves can significantly reduce carers’ loneliness and stress.
“The intervention also promoted acceptance of their caregiving role and strengthened their ability to regulate their emotions. This highlights ways in which assistive social robots can offer emotional support when human connection is often scarce.”