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Assessment of users’ acceptability of a mobile-based embodied conversational agent for the prevention and detection of suicidal behaviour

  • Mobile & Wireless Health
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Abstract

The use of embodied conversational agents in mental health has increased in the last years. Several studies exist describing the benefits and advantages of this technology as a complement to psychotherapeutic interventions for the prevention and treatment of depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder, to name a few. A small number of these works implement capabilities in the virtual agent focused on the detection and prevention of suicidality risks. The work presented in this paper describes the development of an embodied conversational agent used as the main interface in HelPath, a mobile-based application addressed to individuals detected with any of the suicidal behaviours: ideation, planning or attempt. The main objective of HelPath is to continuously collect user’s information that, complemented with data from the electronic health record, supports the identification of risks associated with suicidality. Through the virtual agent, the users also receive information and suggestions based on cognitive behaviour therapy that would help them to maintain a healthy condition. The paper also presents the execution of an exploratory pilot to assess the acceptability, perception and adherence of users towards the virtual agent. The obtained results are presented and discussed, and some actions for further improvement of the embodied conversational agent are also identified.

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Acknowledgements

This work has been funded by the “Fondo Sectorial de Investigación en Salud y Seguridad Social – FOSISS/CONACyT” under the research project 2016-1-273163 “Desarrollo de nuevas tecnologías y su integración al sector salud como ayuda a una estrategia integral de prevención del suicidio”. The author also acknowledges the “Cátedras CONACyT” program funded by the Mexican National Research Council (CONACyT).

Funding

This study was funded by the Mexican National Research Council (CONACyT grant number 2016–1-273163).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CONACYT – Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Unidad de Transferencia Tecnológica, Tepic, Mexico

    Juan Martínez-Miranda

  2. Servicios de Salud de Nayarit, Tepic, Mexico

    Ariadna Martínez, Héctor Aguilar, Liliana Jiménez & Elizabeth Valencia

  3. Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Unidad de Transferencia Tecnológica, Tepic, Mexico

    Roberto Ramos & Giovanni Rosales

  4. Universidad Vizcaya, Tepic, Mexico

    Hodwar Arias

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  1. Juan Martínez-Miranda
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Correspondence to Juan Martínez-Miranda.

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Martínez-Miranda, J., Martínez, A., Ramos, R. et al. Assessment of users’ acceptability of a mobile-based embodied conversational agent for the prevention and detection of suicidal behaviour. J Med Syst 43, 246 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10916-019-1387-1

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