The effect of social robot interventions on anxiety in children in clinical settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIMS: Children in clinical settings are prone to anxiety due to developmental limitations, which hinders treatment progress. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of social robot interventions compared to routine care or alternative non-pharmacological strategies in reducing anxiety among children aged 4-12 years undergoing medical procedures in clinical settings, based on evidence from randomized controlled trials.

METHODS

The review protocol was prospectively registered in PROSPERO. Five electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effects of SRs on children's anxiety. The search ends on 1 December 2024. A total of 10 RCTs meeting the inclusion criteria were identified, involving 877 children aged 4-12 years.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis reveals a significant reduction in anxiety levels among children who interacted with social robots in clinical settings. Subgroup analyses showed that 1) Both inpatient and outpatient children exhibited reduced anxiety levels. 2) School-age children experienced a decrease in anxiety following interventions with social robots. 3) The social robots were effective in alleviating children's anxiety using distraction techniques and psycho-educational interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis is the first to summarize the effects of social robots on anxiety in children and finds an overall positive trend. It's more effective than traditional psychotherapy and has no adverse effects due to drug use. In the context of care shortages, social robots represent a significant tool for reducing anxiety among children in clinical settings and demonstrate promising potential.