醫療人員與社交型機器人於長照機構帶領音樂欣賞團體治療療效因子之比較研究

背景與目的：許多研究探討機器人在臨床醫療上的益處，但探討機器人在音樂治療團體中的應用和療效的研究較少。然而，這在未來將是ㄧ個無法避免且值得研究的問題。本研究比較了社交機器人和真人在老人照顧機構帶領音樂欣賞團體治療活動的療效因子。方法：本計畫採用準實驗設計，對象為20 名 65 歲以上的自願受試者。受試者接受了八次由社交型機器人監督的音樂欣賞團體治療，以及另外八次由真人所帶領的音樂欣賞團體治療。並在第四週和第八週後用療效因子問卷分析這兩組之間治療因素的差異。結果：社交型機器人帶領的音樂欣賞團體在第8週的12個療效因子中，有10個療效因子的問卷得分高於或等於第4週的問卷得分，其中「利他主義」、「團體凝聚力」、「傳達資訊」三個療效因子均達到統計顯著值。由真人所帶的音樂欣賞團體的12個療效因子的得分均高於或等於社交型機器人所帶的團體療效因子的得分，且每個療效因子均達到統計學顯著值。結論：社交型機器人可能可以應用在音樂治療團體中，但由真人所帶領的音樂團體治療仍然可能比社交機器人所進行的效果更好。

 Background and purpose：Many studies have explored the benefits of social robots in healthcare, but fewer have delved into their application and effects in mu-sic therapy groups. Nevertheless, this is an issue of great significance deserving fur-ther research. This study compares the therapeutic factors of music listening group activities led by social robots versus those led by medical staff in an elderly care center. Methods：This project employs a repeated measures design, building upon a pilot study involving 20 subjects aged above 65 years. These subjects underwent eight sessions of music listening group therapy under the supervision of social ro-bots, followed by another eight sessions supervised by medical staff. The variances in therapeutic factors between these two groups were examined using a therapeu-tic-factor questionnaire administered immediately after the fourth and eighth week. Results：In week 8, the questionnaire scores for the music listening therapy group sessions directed by robots were either higher or equal to those in week 4 for 10 out of the 12 therapeutic factors. Specifically, the factors "Altruism," "Group cohesive-ness," and "Imparting of information" reached statistically significant levels. Con-versely, the scores for all 12 therapeutic factors in the sessions led by medical staff were higher or equal to those in the robot-led sessions, with each factor reaching statistical significance. Conclusions： Social robots may have applications in music therapy groups; however, music listening group therapy sessions supervised by re-al-person medical staff are still superior to those conducted by social robots.