Psychological well-being is associated with determinants of social robot acceptability in patients with heart failure, while psychological distress and personality traits are not associated with these determinants.
The majority of heart failure patients expressed willingness to use a social robot if one were available.
Higher positive psychological well-being scores were associated with increased social robot acceptability across multiple UTAUT subscales.
Psychological distress (depression and anxiety symptoms) was not significantly associated with social robot acceptability.
Personality traits were not significantly associated with social robot acceptability in this heart failure patient sample.
Well-being scores in the heart failure patient sample were moderate, and a notable proportion met clinical thresholds for depression and anxiety.
This research suggests that among heart failure patients, those who report higher levels of positive psychological well-being — such as feeling that life is going well and experiencing positive emotions — are more open to the idea of using social robots for health support. The study surveyed 101 heart failure patients who watched short videos about social robots and then answered questions about their willingness to use them. About 69% said they would likely use a social robot if one were available, indicating generally moderate-to-favorable acceptance of the technology. Interestingly, the study found that it was positive well-being — not the absence of depression or anxiety — that predicted greater robot acceptability. Even after accounting for factors like age, sex, experience with technology, and health burden, higher well-being scores were independently linked to greater willingness to use social robots and a perception that the conditions for using them were favorable. Neither depression, anxiety, nor personality traits like conscientiousness or extraversion were significantly related to robot acceptability. This research suggests that before implementing social robots in heart failure care, healthcare providers and developers should consider patients' psychological well-being as a factor that may influence adoption. Patients with lower well-being may need additional support or tailored introductions to this technology. The findings also highlight that addressing positive psychological health — not just treating mental illness — could be an important component of preparing patients to engage with novel healthcare technologies.
Maukel L, Bouchard K, Fiedorowicz J, Dautenhahn K, Ghafurian M, Coutinho T, et al.. (2026). Positive Psychological Well-Being and Determinants of Social Robot Acceptability Among Patients With Heart Failure: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study.. JMIR cardio. https://doi.org/10.2196/83163