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Efficacy of relational agents for loneliness across age groups: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- Truvace record
- TRV-2026-2795raw data (JSON)
- Version
- v1Published
- First published
- Evidence type
- Systematic review or meta-analysis
- Sources
- 1 sourcePeer-reviewed
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Abstract Background Loneliness is a serious public health concern. Although previous interventions have had some success in mitigating loneliness, the field is in search of novel, more effective, and more scalable solutions. Here, we focus on “relational agents”, a form of software agents that are increasingly powered by artificial intelligence and large language models (LLMs). We report on a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the impact of relational agents on loneliness across age groups. Metho…
The gain
A meta-analysis of 14 studies with 286 participants aged 19 to 100 found that relational agents (companion robots and app-based conversational agents) reduced self-reported loneliness by a moderate amount (Hedge's g = -0.552).
What this doesn’t fix
Most of the 14 studies were small, high risk of bias and short in follow-up (mean 5.92 weeks), and a publication-bias adjustment shrank the effect by roughly 64% to a non-significant g = -0.198.
Sources
1 on file- BMC Public Healthdoi:10.1186/s12889-024-19153-x
Cite this record
v1Truvace Impact Record TRV-2026-2795, v1: “Efficacy of relational agents for loneliness across age groups: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Truvace, 2026-11-12. /record/TRV-2026-2795 (accessed on the day you copy it). sha256 7863697b3267f630…
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1 versionEvery change made to this record since it was first published, and why. Nothing has changed since it went up.
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