Impact of Socially Assistive Robots on Geriatric Depression: A Comparative Study of Pre- and During-Pandemic Cohorts

Purpose: Socially assistive robots (SARs) have been associated with positive emotional support outcomes. This study further examines the types of support sought by older adults from SARs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A total of 188 participants were recruited, with 101 individuals in the Pre-Pandemic cohort and 87 in the During-Pandemic cohort. Usage data from SARs was collected over 240 days through web-monitoring systems, and face-to-face interviews were conducted. Results: Before the pandemic, content delivery by SARs was the predominant form of engagement. During the pandemic, older adults increasingly sought interactive emotional support from SARs. While both cohorts demonstrated a significant reduction in depressive symptoms, Pre-Pandemic represented larger reduction with a mean decrease of 7.14 points. Discussion: The findings highlight the potential of well-designed SARs to provide emotional support and mitigate depressive symptoms. Further research is recommended to optimize SAR functionalities for diverse emotional and social needs.