Robot Therapy: A New Horizon in Mental Healthcare

Introduction

Individuals and society bear the tremendous weight of mental illness (e.g., World Health Organization [WHO], 2010). 25% of Indians have a diagnosable psychiatric disease in a given year, with 5% of the population exhibiting symptoms before 18. (Kessler & Wang, 2008; Kessler et al., 2009; Kessler & Wang, 2008). Mental illnesses are also linked to high financial costs, such as medical care, lost wages, and criminal justice (Jason & Ferrari, 2010). Most people who require mental health care will never receive it (Kessler et al., 2005). Although 33% of people with psychiatric diagnoses receive mental health therapy, just a small percentage receive evidence-based care. This lack of therapy is not due to effective treatments; rather, many psychological techniques for mental health issues have been created and widely evaluated (National Registry of Evidence-based Programs & Practices, 2012). Over 320 evidence-based remedies for mental health illnesses have been identified by the government (U.S. Department of Health & Services, 2014). One of the most difficult aspects of mental health care is ensuring that those who require counselling can receive it. Mental healthcare is attempting to better satisfy unmet needs in the sector through a variety of tactics, including a greater emphasis on spreading effective interventions, novel treatment models, and the use of technology to extend the reach of existing solutions (Internet-based treatments; Carlbring & Andersson, 2006; Cummings, Wen, & Druss, 2013). The way people acquire mental healthcare treatments has changed dramatically as a result of recent innovations. For instance, internet-based therapies are becoming more widespread for various psychiatric disorders (depression, bulimia nervosa, social phobia; Andersson et al., 2005, 2006; Ljotsson et al., 2007). Patients typically participate in online treatment programs on their own time, with varying levels of therapist help (telephone check-ins to monitor progress; Spek et al., 2007). Knaevelsrud & Maercker, 2007; L'Abate & Kaiser, 2012; Spek et al., 2007) show that internet-based interventions increase functioning, have low drop-out rates, and be safe well-tolerated.

Technology developments in treatment include web-based programs. Socially assistive robotics (SAR) is an intriguing and newly emerging technology in mental healthcare treatment choices. Robots that assist human users through social contact are called SAR (Feil-Seifer & Matari, 2011). This robotic device can instruct and provide feedback to patients, assist with treatment compliance, and track progress. Previously, socially assistive robots were used in mental healthcare settings for children with autism spectrum disorder and older people with dementia ( Moyle et al., 2013; Vanderborght et al., 2012). However, these robots can also be used to address a wide range of clinical issues, including persons with mood and anxiety problems, children with disruptive behaviour issues, and those who do not meet diagnostic criteria but have mental health issues ( high levels of stress). SAR work is not widely known among mental health specialists, such as researchers and practitioners, who could significantly influence the subsequent mental healthcare applications of SAR. Even though SAR is still in its infancy, its value in addressing unmet requirements is expanding. In remote areas, robots can fill vacant niches and assist human providers in their ongoing efforts to deliver services ( helping as helpful tools within treatment sessions with a provider).

Furthermore, robots can play therapeutic roles (for example, naive peers) that even doctors could utilize in treatment. In this context, robots can enhance traditional delivery methods or assist patients by providing in-home resources and services. Thus, if we want to benefit our field's most critical clinical needs, we need to start collaborating with mental health doctors right away.