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Exploring Factors Shaping Social Robot Acceptance in Older‐Adult Care: Insights From Brazilian Caregivers

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Introduction As aging populations grow and caregiving systems strain, social robots are increasingly proposed to assist in older‐adult care. Yet, acceptance among caregivers, particularly in underrepresented regions such as Brazil, remains poorly understood. Objectives This exploratory study investigates how Brazilian caregivers perceive the utility, advantages, disadvantages, and overall acceptance of social robots in older‐adult care, accounting for demographic background, workload conditions, and prior familiarity. Method An exploratory cross‐sectional survey was administered to 94 Brazilian caregivers (formal and informal) after exposure to a realistic video demonstration of the Robios social robot. The questionnaire assessed preferences, attitudes, and acceptance across 10 structured items and 3 multiple‐choice blocks. Exploratory statistical analyses used Spearman correlations, Mann–Whitney U tests, chi‐square tests, and the Jonckheere–Terpstra trend test, with Holm‐adjusted p values for multiple comparisons. Results Caregivers prioritised functionalities related to safety monitoring and medication reminders, while expressing concerns about maintenance, technical failures, and online security. Perceived workload, rather than objective hours or caregiving experience, was positively associated with two acceptance indicators. Prior awareness of social robots was not clearly associated with acceptance in this sample. No significant differences emerged between formal and informal caregivers. Evaluation Unlike prior studies concentrated in high‐income, more institutionalised contexts, this research provides an initial systematic analysis of caregiver acceptance in Brazil's middle‐income, familistic, and predominantly informal care ecosystem. The findings challenge assumptions about demographic predictors and emphasise situational, perceptual, and cultural drivers, highlighting a collaborative caregiver‐assistant view of social robots in this context. Conclusion In this Brazilian setting, acceptance of social robots appears to be shaped less by background variables and more by perceived usefulness and relief under demanding conditions. These exploratory results inform user‐centred design and policy strategies for deploying socially adaptive robotic systems in eldercare and motivate future confirmatory studies in diverse cultural settings.

Source: Expert Systems

DOI: 10.1111/exsy.70220