Loneliness
Conditions
Interventions
Group 1: Intervention group (IG): Participants in the IG receive access to Elderbot immediately after completion of the baseline assessment (T0) for a period of 6 weeks. A daily usage duration of 20 m
Sponsors
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
60 Years to No maximum
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: - relevant loneliness according to the total score on the UCLA-3 Item scale (UCLA-3 >5) - lives in their residence alone (not institutionalized) - adequate German language proficiency - adequate cognitive functioning - signed informed consent for participation - willing to participate in the study and all assessments
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: - cognitive impairment / dementia (MiniMoca = 10 or more) - current inpatient or day clinic treatment - Begin a new course of psychotherapy or medication for psychiatric symptoms (z.B. Sleep disorder, depression) - The presence of the following diagnoses based on self-report or due to the Mini-Dips OA interview: current or past diagnosis of psychosis, bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder, acute suicidality, current substance dependence, current social phobia, panic disorder or agoraphobia. - Mobility limitations, which limit the ability to leave the place of residence - Severe vision or hearing impairments or neurological disorders, which limit the use of the Elderbot - more than infrequent use of Large Language Models (i.e., more than once per month) - adequate distress tolerance - absence from home for several days (e.g., due to vacation or extended travel) in which the Elderbot cannot be used.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Reduction in self-reported, indirectly assessed loneliness from T0 to T1, measured using the 9-item UCLA Loneliness Scale (Luhmann et al., 2016; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2016.02.002) | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Efficacy - Reduction in self-reported, indirectly measured loneliness from T0 to T2, measuring using the 9-item UCLA Loneliness Scale - Reduction in self-reported depressive symptoms (T0 to T1 and T0 to T2), measured using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (Yesavage JA, et al., 1982; https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3956(82)90033-4) - Reduction in directly assessed loneliness measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies - Depression Scale Item 14 “During the past week, I felt lonely” (T0 to T1 and T0 to T2) - Iprovement in self-reported quality of life (T0 to T1 and T0 to T2), measured using the WHOQOL-Bref (Skevington et al., 2004; doi.org/10.1023/B:QURE.0000018486.91360.00) - Improvement in contact to social network (T0 to T1 and T0 to T2), measured using the LSNS-6 (Lubben et al., 2006; https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/46.4.503) - Reduction in self-reported social anxiety (T0 to T1 and T0 to T2), measured using the SIAS (Stangier et al., 1999; https://doi.org/10.1026//0084-5345.28.1.28) - Reduction in depression-related social avoidance (T0 to T1 and T0 to T2), measured using the CBAS (Ottenbreit et al, 2004; https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(03)00140-2; Röthlin et al, 2010; https://doi.org/10.1026/0012-1924/a000008) - Improvement in social connectedness (T0 to T1 and T0 to T2) from , measured using the Social Connectedness Scale (Lee & Robbins, 1995; https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0167.42.2.232; Meyen, 2016. Soziale Projektion von Vertrauenswu¨rdigkeit: Ist die Welt von Lu¨gnern voller Lu¨gner?) Usage, Acceptance, and User-Friendliness - Total usage time, average duration of conversations, usage frequency (IG only: T1) - Usage barriers (IG only: T1) - Technology Usage Inventory (“Curiosity” [T0], "Anxiety" [T0] and “Skepticism” [IG = T0 to T1; WL-CG = T0] subscales; Kothgassner et al., 2012) - Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence (IG = T0 to T1, WL-CG = T0; Sindermann et al., 2021; https://doi.org/10.1007/s13218-020-00689-0) - Conversa | — |
Countries
Germany
Contacts
Public ContactRodrigo Bermudez Schettino
Max-Planck-Institut für Bildungsforschung
Outcome results
None listed