A virtual therapist that responds empathically to your answers

M.A. Pontier; G.F. Siddiqui

doi:10.1007/978-3-540-85483-8_42

A virtual therapist that responds empathically to your answers

M.A. Pontier, G.F. Siddiqui

Research output: Chapter in Book / Report / Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Previous research indicates that self-help therapy is an effective method to prevent and treat unipolar depression. While web-based self-help therapy has many advantages, there are also disadvantages to self-help therapy, such as that it misses the possibility to regard the body language of the user, and the lack of personal feedback on the user responses. This study presents a virtual agent that guides the user through the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire, which is used to measure the severity of depression. The agent responds empathically to the answers given by the user, by changing its facial expression. This resembles face to face therapy more than existing web-based self-help therapies. A pilot experiment indicates that the virtual agent has added value for this application.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Intelligent Virtual Agents
Subtitle of host publication	8th International Conference, IVA 2008, Tokyo, Japan, September 1-3, 2008. Proceedings
Editors	H. Prendinger, J. Lester, M. Ishizuka
Publisher	Springer Verlag
Pages	417-425
Number of pages	9
ISBN (Electronic)	9783540854838
ISBN (Print)	9783540854821
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-85483-8_42
Publication status	Published - 2008

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS)
Publisher	Springer
Volume	5208

Name	Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence book sub series (LNAI)
Volume	5208

Bibliographical note

iva 2008

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Pontier, M. A., & Siddiqui, G. F. (2008). A virtual therapist that responds empathically to your answers. In H. Prendinger, J. Lester, & M. Ishizuka (Eds.), Intelligent Virtual Agents: 8th International Conference, IVA 2008, Tokyo, Japan, September 1-3, 2008. Proceedings (pp. 417-425). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS); Vol. 5208), (Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence book sub series (LNAI); Vol. 5208). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-85483-8_42

Pontier, M.A. ; Siddiqui, G.F. / A virtual therapist that responds empathically to your answers. Intelligent Virtual Agents: 8th International Conference, IVA 2008, Tokyo, Japan, September 1-3, 2008. Proceedings. editor / H. Prendinger ; J. Lester ; M. Ishizuka. Springer Verlag, 2008. pp. 417-425 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS)). (Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence book sub series (LNAI)).

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title = "A virtual therapist that responds empathically to your answers",

abstract = "Previous research indicates that self-help therapy is an effective method to prevent and treat unipolar depression. While web-based self-help therapy has many advantages, there are also disadvantages to self-help therapy, such as that it misses the possibility to regard the body language of the user, and the lack of personal feedback on the user responses. This study presents a virtual agent that guides the user through the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire, which is used to measure the severity of depression. The agent responds empathically to the answers given by the user, by changing its facial expression. This resembles face to face therapy more than existing web-based self-help therapies. A pilot experiment indicates that the virtual agent has added value for this application.",

author = "M.A. Pontier and G.F. Siddiqui",

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language = "English",

isbn = "9783540854821",

series = "Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS)",

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Pontier, MA & Siddiqui, GF 2008, A virtual therapist that responds empathically to your answers. in H Prendinger, J Lester & M Ishizuka (eds), Intelligent Virtual Agents: 8th International Conference, IVA 2008, Tokyo, Japan, September 1-3, 2008. Proceedings. Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS), vol. 5208, Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence book sub series (LNAI), vol. 5208, Springer Verlag, pp. 417-425. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-85483-8_42

A virtual therapist that responds empathically to your answers. / Pontier, M.A.; Siddiqui, G.F.

Intelligent Virtual Agents: 8th International Conference, IVA 2008, Tokyo, Japan, September 1-3, 2008. Proceedings. ed. / H. Prendinger; J. Lester; M. Ishizuka. Springer Verlag, 2008. p. 417-425 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS); Vol. 5208), (Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence book sub series (LNAI); Vol. 5208).

Research output: Chapter in Book / Report / Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

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AB - Previous research indicates that self-help therapy is an effective method to prevent and treat unipolar depression. While web-based self-help therapy has many advantages, there are also disadvantages to self-help therapy, such as that it misses the possibility to regard the body language of the user, and the lack of personal feedback on the user responses. This study presents a virtual agent that guides the user through the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire, which is used to measure the severity of depression. The agent responds empathically to the answers given by the user, by changing its facial expression. This resembles face to face therapy more than existing web-based self-help therapies. A pilot experiment indicates that the virtual agent has added value for this application.

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Pontier MA, Siddiqui GF. A virtual therapist that responds empathically to your answers. In Prendinger H, Lester J, Ishizuka M, editors, Intelligent Virtual Agents: 8th International Conference, IVA 2008, Tokyo, Japan, September 1-3, 2008. Proceedings. Springer Verlag. 2008. p. 417-425. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS)). (Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence book sub series (LNAI)). doi: 10.1007/978-3-540-85483-8_42

A virtual therapist that responds empathically to your answers

Abstract

Publication series

Bibliographical note

UN SDGs

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