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Future perspectives of robot psychiatry: can communication robots assist psychiatric evaluation in the COVID-19 pandemic era?
Yoshikawa, Yuichiro; Kumazaki, Hirokazu; Kato, Takahiro A.
  • Yoshikawa Y; Department of Systems Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Osaka.
  • Kumazaki H; Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry.
  • Kato TA; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo.
Curr Opin Psychiatry ; 34(3): 277-286, 2021 05 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1599453
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Direct face-to-face interview between a psychiatrist and a patient is crucial in psychiatric evaluation, however, such traditional interviews are becoming difficult to conduct because of the infection risk in the COVID-19 era. As telepsychiatry, video interviews using internet are suggested to be useful to evaluate and assist individuals with mental disorders. However, some patients especially with social phobia, depression, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) hesitate to use even such face-to-face-like tools. Communication robots have been proposed as future assistant tools for such patients. Herein, we summarize recent advancements in robot psychiatry, and propose the benefits of communication robots in psychiatric evaluation. RECENT

FINDINGS:

Recent studies have suggested that communication robots are effective in assisting people with ASD. As a pilot trial, we herein conducted semi-structured interviews to evaluate depression and hikikomori, a form of pathological social withdrawal, using a communication robot and a psychiatrist, respectively. There was almost identical evaluation between the two. Interestingly, a person with hikikomori answered that the robot was easier to disclose.

SUMMARY:

Robots can reduce the burden of human resources and the infection risk in the COVID-19 era. Robot interview is expected to be implemented for future evaluation system in psychiatry.
Subject(s)

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Psychiatry / Robotics / Communication / COVID-19 / Mental Disorders Type of study: Diagnostic study / Experimental Studies / Prognostic study / Qualitative research / Randomized controlled trials Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Curr Opin Psychiatry Year: 2021 Document Type: Article

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Psychiatry / Robotics / Communication / COVID-19 / Mental Disorders Type of study: Diagnostic study / Experimental Studies / Prognostic study / Qualitative research / Randomized controlled trials Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Curr Opin Psychiatry Year: 2021 Document Type: Article