Effectiveness of Group Interventions With Socially-Assistive Robots for Older Adults: A Systematic Review.

Only English peer-reviewed articles and conference proceedings from five databases were searched, so relevant studies in other languages may have been missed. The 25 included studies used different designs, robots, activities, and control conditions, so the results could not be combined in a meta-analysis. Nine of 21 quantitative studies had sample representativeness or non-response issues, and many samples were small. Negative outcomes and negative resident reactions were seldom reported, so publication bias may make the overall picture look better than it is. Several common outcome measures were not sensitive enough for older adults with more severe cognitive impairment. Physical robot-led exercise groups were mostly assessed for engagement and sociality, not for physical function, so they do not show whether residents got stronger or more mobile. Each health domain was examined by only one to two studies, so the apparent benefits on sleep, pulse indicators, anxiety, or loneliness are preliminary. Only two reviewers screened and assessed studies, so selection and analysis bias may remain.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The work was funded by the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Do not conclude that robot-assisted group activities improve cognition, depression, agitation, or quality of life in older adults. The review found engagement and social interaction benefits, but robot-control differences were not significant for several outcomes, and some domains were examined in only one to two studies.