Exploring Emotional and Cognitive Engagement in School Age Children: An In-depth Analysis of Interaction with the NAO Social Robot during the Storytelling Activity

The use of social robots for socio-educational and rehabilitative purposes assumes that they can increase the emotional and cognitive engagement of the children in the proposed activities. The present study aimed to study the impact of the robot's presence on the overall user experience, examining the linguistic and cognitive parameters derived from the child's invented story and identifying potential correlations between children's engagement and task performance. A preliminary sample of 27 children aged 7–9 years participated in individual sessions where they were tasked with inventing stories for NAO robot while the robot displayed interest through gestures and dialogue. Multilevel indicators including behavioral, psychophysiological, and performance measures were employed to assess emotional, behavioral, and cognitive involvement. Particularly a FitBit bracelet for measuring the Heart Rate (HR), engagement observation questionnaire, and self-assessment questionnaire for user experience were used. The results indicated high levels of engagement and positive emotions among children, with a greater use of psychological vocabulary associated with positive emotional and volitional states than the other states. HR measurements also reflected variations during different phases of the activity. Engagement ratings positively correlated with emotional states, as well as with story duration and number of words. The results of this research will help to understand the usefulness of social robots in engaging children in learning activities, shedding light on their potential applications in education and rehabilitation of children with learning difficulties.