Conference Agenda

The ability to adapt communication strategies to interlocutors’ competencies is key in doctor-patient interactions. When engaging with older patients, healthcare providers (HCPs) must balance clarity, epistemic alignment, and emotional responsiveness to enhance engagement and adherence. However, overly simplified speech (overaccommodation) may reinforce negative stereotypes, while insufficient adaptation (underaccommodation) can lead to misunderstandings and reduced patient satisfaction (Giles, 2016).

While elderspeak has been widely studied in spoken healthcare interactions (Lagacé et al., 2012; McLaughlin, 2024), its role in digital health communication remains underexplored. As older adults increasingly use online medical forums and AI-driven tools, it is essential to assess how these platforms accommodate their needs.

This study examines responses from HCPs and AI chatbots to health-related queries from elderly individuals. Using a dataset of 11,919 patient-provider interactions from Medicitalia, Italy’s largest online health forum, we extracted 39 queries from patients aged 65+ and compared them to chatbot-generated responses simulating an online healthcare professional.

Our analysis explores:

Linguistic and epistemic features of older patients’ queries.

HCPs’ adaptation strategies in attunement, epistemic alignment, and emotional responsiveness.

Differences between human and AI-generated responses in empathy and accommodation.

Preliminary findings indicate that while HCPs provide epistemically aligned responses, emotional engagement is often limited. In contrast, AI-generated replies show greater emotional attunement, raising questions about AI’s role in patient-centered communication. This study offers insights into the evolving landscape of digital healthcare for older adults.

In many developed countries of the world, we can observe the aging of societies - people are living longer and longer. As a result, innovations are constantly being introduced to improve seniors' quality of life so they can actively age in their residence.

Artificial intelligence (AI) solutions are used for this purpose. An essential issue in developing such solutions is the ongoing recognition of the acceptance of AI among seniors and how they cope with such innovations - i.e., conducting research among this social group. Therefore, the presentation will review the empirical research on seniors' attitudes towards AI to date. Attention will be focused on the key factors influencing the acceptance or skepticism of older people towards AI. In particular, the research areas and methodologies used in selected studies conducted among seniors regarding using AI-based technologies in their lives will be discussed.

Loneliness is a growing public health concern with significant psychological consequences (Loveys et al., 2019). AI-driven chatbots offer a promising intervention for emotional support and social connection (Alessa & Al-Khalifa, 2023), yet concerns remain about their effectiveness, safety, and ethical risks (Abd-Alrazaq et al., 2020). Evolutionary neuropsychiatry suggests their impact stems from mimicking the mammalian behavioral triad—caregiving, separation distress, and social play (MacLean, 1985), as seen in social robots like Paro, which reduce stress and enhance well-being (Loveys et al., 2019). Anthropomorphized AI further increases engagement and perceived emotional connection (Sidlauskiene et al., 2023).

AI chatbots have shown potential to reduce loneliness and suicidal ideation, with 3% of Replika users reporting suicide prevention benefits (Maples et al., 2024). However, mental health effects remain inconclusive—some studies report slight improvements in depression and anxiety (Abd-Alrazaq et al., 2020), while others highlight risks of dependency and addiction (Marriott & Pitardi, 2024). Advances in language model prompting, including few-shot and chain-of-thought prompting (Min et al., 2022; Wei et al., 2023), improve chatbot responses.

This study examines AI chatbots’ effects on affect and loneliness, using PANAS (Tran, 2020) and SBS (Luo & Liu, 2022) scales. We hypothesize that a therapeutic chatbot will enhance positive affect and reduce loneliness, moderated by attitudes toward AI (GAAIS; Schepman & Rodway, 2023). Comparing neutral and therapeutic chatbots, this research informs AI’s role in scalable mental health interventions.

The rapid development of technology—especially the Internet, social media, and AI—has significantly enhanced various aspects of human life. However, as these innovations become more integrated into daily routines, their influence on mental health warrants careful examination. This presentation explores the evolving relationship between humans and technology, highlighting both its benefits and challenges.One of the key areas of concern is the shift from technology as a tool to potential overreliance, shaping behaviors and emotional responses in ways that merit attention. The widespread use of the internet, social media, and AI-driven systems has contributed to emerging patterns of dependency, impatience, exhibitionism, and social difficulties. At the same time, AI has the potential to revolutionize mental health support. When thoughtfully applied, it can provide valuable resources for psychological assessment, therapy, and intervention. AI-driven tools can assist professionals in monitoring mental health conditions, offering personalized support, and expanding access to care. However, its integration into the therapeutic landscape raises important ethical, clinical, and relational considerations.

This discussion seeks to illuminate strategies for fostering a balanced relationship with technology, emphasizing both its advantages and its limitations. By understanding the psychological impact of AI and digital interactions, we can develop approaches that maximize its benefits while mitigating risks. Through expert analysis and open dialogue, we aim to explore how AI can be harnessed responsibly to support mental well-being and enhance the human experience.