Engaging women with an embodied conversational agent to deliver mindfulness and lifestyle recommendations: A feasibility randomized control trial

Abstract

Objective: This randomized controlled trial evaluates the feasibility of using an Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) to teach lifestyle modifications to urban women.

Methods: Women were randomized to either 1) an ECA (content included: mindfulness, stress management, physical activity, and healthy eating) or 2) patient education sheets mirroring same content plus a meditation CD/MP3 once a day for one month. General outcome measures included: number of stress management techniques used, physical activity levels, and eating patterns.

Results: Sixty-one women ages 18 to 50 were enrolled. On average, 51% identified as white, 26% as black, 23% as other races; and 20% as Hispanic. The major stress management techniques reported at baseline were: exercise (69%), listening to music (70%), and social support (66%). After one month, women randomized to the ECA significantly decreased alcohol consumption to reduce stress (p=0.03) and increased daily fruit consumption by an average of 2 servings compared to the control (p=0.04).

Conclusion: It is feasible to use an ECA to promote health behaviors on stress management and healthy eating among diverse urban women.

Practice implications: Compared to patient information sheets, ECAs provide promise as a way to teach healthy lifestyle behaviors to diverse urban women.

Keywords: Embodied conversational agent; Healthy eating; Mindfulness; Mindfulness based stress reduction; Nutrition; Physical activity; Stress management.