Smart-speaker technology and intellectual disabilities: agency and wellbeing.
Mainstream intelligent personal assistants (IPAs, e.g., Amazon Echo and Google Home) offer an unprecedented opportunity to enhance agency and wellbeing among vulnerable groups across health and social care. However, unintended consequences and barriers to use are possible. We conducted a mixed-metho...
| Published in: | Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology Vol. 18; no. 4; pp. 432 - 443 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
| Format: | research tables/charts randomized controlled trial Journal Article |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Ltd
May2023
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=163488731&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 163488731 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 17483107 1X04 jtl: Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology issn: 17483107 maglogo: Y pubinfo: dt: May2023 vid: 18 iid: 4 pid: 377 pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania artinfo: ui: 163488731 147851970 163488731 163488731 10.1080/17483107.2020.1864670 163488731 ppf: 432 ppct: 11 formats: fmt: – @attributes: type: T – @attributes: type: P tig: atl: Smart-speaker technology and intellectual disabilities: agency and wellbeing. aug: au: Smith, Elizabeth Sumner, Petroc Hedge, Craig Powell, Georgina affil: School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK sug: subj: Intellectual Disability Persons with Disabilities Psychosocial Factors Voice Recognition Systems Assistive Technology Devices Quality of Life Human Random Assignment Randomized Controlled Trials Multimethod Studies Semi-Structured Interview Thematic Analysis Psychological Well-Being Social Values Wales Special Populations Adult Middle Age Aged Aged, 80 and Over Scales Female Male Adult: 19-44 years Middle Aged: 45-64 years Aged: 65+ years Aged, 80 & over Female Male ab: Mainstream intelligent personal assistants (IPAs, e.g., Amazon Echo and Google Home) offer an unprecedented opportunity to enhance agency and wellbeing among vulnerable groups across health and social care. However, unintended consequences and barriers to use are possible. We conducted a mixed-methods semi-randomized controlled trial among individuals with intellectual disability (ID), providing IPAs to an intervention group (N = 22), but not a control group (N = 22). Semi-structured interviews on device use and daily life were conducted with individuals with ID. Observation surveys were also collected from support staff. Key themes were identified using thematic analysis. We also collected quantitative agency and wellbeing data. A separate group of 40 individuals who had already received IPAs were additionally assessed, as well as their support staff. Four themes were identified: (1) social value, (2) entertainment, (3) perceived agency, (4) challenges, perseverance, training/support needs. Opinions regarding IPAs were overwhelmingly positive. Most individuals qualitatively reported improved sense of agency and IPAs enabled many individuals to access features associated with wellbeing, but there was no significant change in the quantitative measure. Some individuals experienced challenges related to pronouncing and remembering IPA phrases; however, perseverance was common. This study increases our understanding of the ways smart speakers can be used to enhance life quality among individuals with ID, and the nature of barriers faced. In conclusion, IPAs are cost-effective complementary support for vulnerable populations, but additional training is required to realize all potential benefits. Individuals with intellectual disability (ID) in supported living are able to use mainstream smart-speakers to access features associated with supporting wellbeing and social communication. They also reported that smart speakers made them feel better able to do things for themselves. A number of individuals with ID and their support staff identified a need for training and support to get the most out of smart speakers in future. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: research tables/charts randomized controlled trial Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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