Stakeholder acceptance of a robot-assisted social training scenario for autistic children compared to a tablet-computer-based approach.

Researchers asked 123 people (including parents, therapists, and autistic adults) about their views on using a humanoid robot called Pepper versus tablets for helping autistic children learn about emotions. While many people (58%) thought the robot therapy could be good, most still preferred tablets because they're more familiar and easier to use. The main worry was how much effort it would take to bring robot therapy into regular services.

This study surveyed 123 stakeholders (caregivers, professionals, and autistic adults) to evaluate acceptance of robot-assisted therapy (RAT) using the humanoid robot Pepper compared to tablet-based therapy for emotion recognition and regulation training in autistic children. While 58% showed high global acceptance of RAT, stakeholders consistently preferred tablet-based therapy across all measures and groups. The preference for tablets was attributed to their established familiarity and easier usability. Intention to use RAT was predicted by perceived usefulness, ease of use, and technology affinity.

Main concerns centered on implementation effort in therapeutic services. Results suggest need for user-centered design approaches to enhance RAT's perceived usefulness and ease of implementation.

Results suggest that while stakeholders see potential in robot-assisted therapy, practical implementation barriers must be addressed. Focus should be on enhancing perceived usefulness and ease of use through user-centered design. Tablet-based approaches may currently offer more practical solutions for emotion recognition training in clinical settings.

Single online survey study with methodology not fully described. Sample composition and demographics unclear. No actual intervention comparison, only acceptance perceptions. Potential bias toward technology-familiar respondents in online format. Cross-sectional design limits understanding of acceptance changes over time.

Recent studies indicate the potential benefits of robot-assisted therapy (RAT) for children on the autism spectrum (AS), yet acceptance among stakeholders remains unclear due to methodological shortcomings in existing research. This study evaluates stakeholders' acceptance of a RAT-scenario designed to train emotion recognition and regulation in AS children using Softbank Robotics Pepper, a humanoid robot with an integrated tablet screen, compared to a tablet-based therapy (TBT) control. An online survey of 123 stakeholders (caregivers, professionals, and autistic adults) assessed RAT and TBT using global acceptance, intention to use, and acceptance-related factors (ALMERE model), alongside stakeholders' concerns. While a larger proportion of stakeholders (58%) showed high global acceptance of RAT, stakeholders preferred TBT across measures and groups (p < .001, Wilk's Λ = 0.595), potentially due to its established familiarity and easier usability.

The intention to use RAT was predicted by perceived usefulness, and, to a smaller extent, perceived ease of use, and affinity for technology, independent of stakeholder group. Concerns mainly addressed the expected effort to implement RAT in therapeutic services. Overall, the results highlight stakeholder acceptance and underscore the need to enhance RAT's perceived usefulness and ease of implementation, suggesting a user-centered design approach for future deployments.