Background Embodied conversational agents (ECAs) are animated computer characters that simulate face-to-face counseling. Owing to their capacity to establish and maintain an empathic relationship, they are deemed to be a promising tool for starting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Objective This review aimed to identify the current practices in designing and evaluating ECAs for coaching people in a healthy lifestyle and provide an overview of their efficacy (on behavioral, knowledge, and motivational parameters) and use (on usability, usage, and user satisfaction parameters). Methods We used the Arksey and O’Malley framework to conduct a scoping review. PsycINFO, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, and Scopus were searched with a combination of terms related to ECA and lifestyle. Initially, 1789 unique studies were identified; 20 studies were included. Results Most often, ECAs targeted physical activity (n=16) and had the appearance of a middle-aged African American woman (n=13). Multiple behavior change techniques (median=3) and theories or principles (median=3) were applied, but their interpretation and application were usually not reported. ECAs seemed to be designed for the end user rather than with the end user. Stakeholders were usually not involved. A total of 7 out of 15 studies reported better efficacy outcomes for the intervention group, and 5 out of 8 studies reported better use-related outcomes, as compared with the control group. Conclusions ECAs are a promising tool for persuasive communication in the health domain. This review provided valuable insights into the current developmental processes, and it recommends the use of human-centered, stakeholder-inclusive design approaches, along with reporting on the design activities in a systematic and comprehensive manner. The gaps in knowledge were identified on the working mechanisms of intervention components and the right timing and frequency of coaching.

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In order to support community-dwelling older adults with healthy eating behaviours, Embodied Conversational Agents (ECAs) may be an effective and engaging medium. However, ECAs have not yet been found to be capable of engendering behaviour change, which is partly attributed to the absence of a match with users' practices, needs and preferences. Hence, we describe a co-design process with older adults that informs both the content and the appearance of an ECA. Data was gathered through three consecutive iterations of co-design sessions with two groups of community-dwelling older adults in the Netherlands. Prior to the first session, participants completed a seven-day lifestyle diary. This study adds knowledge on the meaning of healthy eating, as well as on specific barriers to, and opportunities for, giving advice using an ECA in this target group. Furthermore, we translate this knowledge into general advice for designing an ECA in the context of health behaviour change, while reflecting on a co-design process with older adults.

Background An unhealthy eating pattern and loneliness negatively influence quality of life in older age. Embodied conversational agents (ECAs) are a promising way to address these health behaviors in an engaging manner. Objective We aim to (1) identify whether ECAs can persuade community-dwelling older adults to change their dietary behavior and whether ECA use can decrease loneliness, (2) test these pathways to effects, and (3) understand the use of an ECA. Methods The web-based eHealth app PACO is a fully automated 8-week intervention in which 2 ECAs engage older adults in dialogue to motivate them to change their dietary behavior and decrease their loneliness. PACO was developed via a human-centered and stakeholder-inclusive design approach and incorporates Self-determination Theory and various behavior change techniques. For this study, an unblinded randomized controlled trial will be performed. There will be 2 cohorts, with 30 participants per cohort. Participants in the first cohort will immediately receive the PACO app for 8 weeks, while participants in the second cohort receive the PACO app after a waiting-list condition of 4 weeks. Participants will be recruited via social media, an online panel, flyers, and advertorials. To be eligible, participants must be at least 65 years of age, must not be in paid employment, and must live alone independently at home. Primary outcomes will be self-assessed via online questionnaires at intake, control, after 4 weeks, and after 8 weeks, and will include eating behavior and loneliness. In addition, the primary outcome—use—will be measured via data logs. Secondary outcomes will be measured at the same junctures, via either validated, self-assessed, online questionnaires or an optional interview. Results As of July 2020, we have begun recruiting participants. Conclusions By unraveling the mechanisms behind the use of a web-based intervention with ECAs, we hope to gain a fine-grained understanding of both the effectiveness and the use of ECAs in the health context. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04510883; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04510883 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/22186

Background Embodied conversational agents (ECAs) have been proposed as a promising interaction modality for the delivery of programs focused on promoting lifestyle changes. However, it is not understood what factors influence the health effects of ECAs or their use. Objective We aimed to (1) identify whether ECAs could persuade community-dwelling older adults to change their dietary behavior and whether ECA use could decrease loneliness, (2) test the pathways to these effects, and (3) understand factors influencing the use of ECAs. Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted. The intervention group received access to the PACO service for 8 weeks. The waitlist group started PACO use after waiting for 4 weeks. Two primary outcomes (eating behavior and loneliness) were assessed via online questionnaires at intake, upon joining the waitlist, after 4 weeks, and after 8 weeks. The third primary outcome (use) was assessed via data logs. Secondary outcomes were measured at the same time points, via questionnaires or an optional interview. Results In total, 32 participants completed the intervention. We found a significant correlation between use in minutes on the one hand, and perceived usefulness (r=0.39, P=.03) and enjoyment on the other (r=0.38, P=.03). However, these did not predict use in the full regression model (F2,29=1.98, P=.16, R2=0.12). Additionally, PACO use did not lead to improvement in eating behavior (χ22=0.34, P=.85) or a decrease in loneliness (χ22=0.02, P=.99). Conclusions Our study did not provide any concluding evidence about factors that are linked to the use or health effects of ECAs. Future service design could benefit from either creating a functional design catering to the predominant stage in the precaution adoption process model of the targeted population, or by personalizing the service based on an intake in which the end user’s stage is determined. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04510883; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04510883 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.2196/22186

BACKGROUND Embodied conversational agents (ECAs) have been proposed as a promising interaction modality for the delivery of programs focused on promoting lifestyle changes. However, it is not understood which factors influence use of an ECA and their health effects. OBJECTIVE We aim to (1) identify whether ECAs can persuade community-dwelling older adults to change their dietary behavior and whether ECAs use can decrease loneliness, (2) test these pathways to effects, and (3) understand the use of an ECA. METHODS The web-based eHealth app PACO is a fully automated 8-week intervention in which 2 ECAs engage older adults in dialogue to motivate them to change their dietary behavior and decrease their loneliness. PACO was developed via a human-centered and stakeholder-inclusive design approach and incorporates Self-determination Theory and various behavior change techniques For this study, an unblinded web-based randomized controlled trial was conducted. Participants were recruited via social media, an online panel, flyers and advertorials. The intervention group received access to the PACO service for eight weeks. The waitlist group received PACO after waiting for four weeks. The primary outcomes, eating behavior and loneliness, were assessed via self-assesed online questionnaires at intake, waitlist, after 4 weeks, and after eight weeks. In addition, the primary outcome—use—was assessed via data logs. Secondary outcomes were measured at the same times, via questionnaires or an optional interview. RESULTS In total, 32 participants completed the intervention. We found a significant correlation between use in minutes on the one hand, and perceived usefulness (r = .39, P =.030) and enjoyment on the other (r = .38, P = .032). However, these did not predict use in the full regression model (F(2,29) = 1.98, P = .16, R2 = .12). Additionally, PACO use did not lead to improvements in eating behavior (χ2(2) = .34, = .85) or a decrease in loneliness (χ2(2) = .02, = .99). CONCLUSIONS Our study did not provide any concluding evidence about factors that are linked to the use or health effects of ECAs. Future service design could benefit from either creating a functional design catered towards the predominant stage of the targeted population, or by personalizing the service based on an intake in which the end-user’s stage is determined. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04510883; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04510883 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/22186

BACKGROUND Embodied conversational agents (ECAs) are animated computer characters that simulate face-to-face counseling. Owing to their capacity to establish and maintain an empathic relationship, they are deemed to be a promising tool for starting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. OBJECTIVE This review aimed to identify the current practices in designing and evaluating ECAs for coaching people in a healthy lifestyle and provide an overview of their efficacy (on behavioral, knowledge, and motivational parameters) and use (on usability, usage, and user satisfaction parameters). METHODS We used the Arksey and O’Malley framework to conduct a scoping review. PsycINFO, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, and Scopus were searched with a combination of terms related to ECA and lifestyle. Initially, 1789 unique studies were identified; 20 studies were included. RESULTS Most often, ECAs targeted physical activity (n=16) and had the appearance of a middle-aged African American woman (n=13). Multiple behavior change techniques (median=3) and theories or principles (median=3) were applied, but their interpretation and application were usually not reported. ECAs seemed to be designed for the end user rather than with the end user. Stakeholders were usually not involved. A total of 7 out of 15 studies reported better efficacy outcomes for the intervention group, and 5 out of 8 studies reported better use-related outcomes, as compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS ECAs are a promising tool for persuasive communication in the health domain. This review provided valuable insights into the current developmental processes, and it recommends the use of human-centered, stakeholder-inclusive design approaches, along with reporting on the design activities in a systematic and comprehensive manner. The gaps in knowledge were identified on the working mechanisms of intervention components and the right timing and frequency of coaching.

UNSTRUCTURED Background: An unhealthy eating pattern and loneliness negatively influence the quality of life in older age. Embodied Conversational Agents (ECAs) are a promising tool to address these health behaviors in an engaging manner. Objective: We aim to identify whether ECAs can persuade community-dwelling older adults to dietary behavior change and decrease loneliness, to test these pathways to effects, and to understand use of an ECA. Intervention: The web-based eHealth application PACO is a fully-automated 8-week intervention in which two ECAs engage in dialogue with older adults in order to motivate them towards dietary behavior change and decrease loneliness. PACO was developed via a human-centered and stakeholder-inclusive design approach, and incorporates the Self-Determination Theory and various behavior change techniques. Methods: An unblinded randomized controlled trial will be performed. There will be two cohorts, with 30 participants per cohort. Participants in the first cohort will directly receive the PACO application for 8 weeks, while participants in the second cohort receive the PACO application after a waiting list condition of four weeks. Participants will be recruited via social media, an online panel, flyers and advertorials. They are eligible if they are at least 65 years of age, do not have a paid profession, and live independently at home, by themselves. Primary outcomes will be self-assessed via online questionnaires at control, intake, after four and after eight weeks, and include eating behavior and loneliness. In addition, the primary outcome use is measured via data logs. Secondary outcomes will measured at the same four moments, either via self-assessed online questionnaires or an optional interview. Conclusions: By unraveling the mechanisms behind the use of a web-based intervention with Embodied Conversational Agents, we hope to be able to gain a fine-grained understanding of both effectiveness and use of ECAs in the health context.