Effectiveness of Robot Care Intervention and Maintenance for People with Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background and Objectives Robots have the potential to improve the quality of life of people with dementia. This study examined the effectiveness of robot care intervention and maintenance effect for people with dementia. Research Design and Methods Meta-analytical procedures were used to identify and synthesize articles for analysis. Coding procedures were used to record the moderators, including robot type, outcomes, intervention length, intervention duration, and intervention frequency. Hedge's g statistic was employed to interpret effect sizes and quantify individual research findings. Results The literature review identified 20 eligible randomized controlled trials. Meta-analysis results indicated an overall small effect of g = 0.286 for robot care intervention and g = 0.279 for robot care maintenance. Outcomes for robot care intervention indicated a small and significant effect size at g >0.2, whereas the Bomy robot type had an insignificant effect size. Outcomes for robot care maintenance showed a medium and significant effect size. Discussion and Implications This study confirmed the intervention effect of robot care on people with dementia and its sustainability for neuropsychiatric and social health outcomes. This highlights the effectiveness of humanoid-type robots in dementia care.