Proposal for a Social Research Project on the Impact of AI Robots on Reducing Loneliness and Depression in Elderly Individuals Living Alone in Hong Kong. Only methods part
Research Design-Experimental Design. This study will employ an experimental design to assess the effectiveness of AI robots in alleviating feelings of loneliness and symptoms of depression among solitary elderly individuals in Hong Kong. The experimental group will interact with AI robots, while the original group will receive standard services, including regular telephone check-ins by DECC staff.
Target Population
- Age: Participants must be 65 years or older.
- Residence: Participants must reside in the Sha Tin and Eastern districts of Hong Kong.
- Cognitive Health: Participants must score as having no or mild dementia on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) questionnaire to qualify as research samples and part of the target population.
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Sampling Design
Recruitment
- Based on the total number of active cases in the Sha Tin and Eastern districts serviced by the DECC(you can find specific number on HK swd websites), a specific number of participants will be recruited. Here you should add a screen shot of a app or website or something ,which I don’t know, to show that this number is reasonable.
- And you also should state specific recruitment period and why.
- A single random sampling method will be used for participant selection. Two rounds of random sampling will be conducted to allocate participants into the experimental group (receiving AI robot interaction) and the original group (receiving standard DECC services).
Pre-test Measures
- Loneliness will be measured using the UCLA Loneliness Scale.
- Depression will be measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS).
Data Collection Method
- Structured interviews will be conducted to gather qualitative data on the participants’ experiences and perceptions of the intervention.