Virtual Agent-Based Communication Skills Training to Facilitate Health Persuasion Among Peers

TL;DR

This paper introduces a virtual agent-based system to train community volunteers in health counseling skills, aiming to improve peer influence on health behaviors like COVID-19 vaccination, with positive effects on satisfaction and competence.

Contribution

It presents a novel virtual agent system for health counseling training that enhances user engagement and skill development compared to passive learning methods.

Findings

All training versions produced competent peer counselors.

Interactive agents increased participant satisfaction.

Participants demonstrated adequate counseling skills.

Abstract

Many laypeople are motivated to improve the health behavior of their family or friends but do not know where to start, especially if the health behavior is potentially stigmatizing or controversial. We present an approach that uses virtual agents to coach community-based volunteers in health counseling techniques, such as motivational interviewing, and allows them to practice these skills in role-playing scenarios. We use this approach in a virtual agent-based system to increase COVID-19 vaccination by empowering users to influence their social network. In a between-subjects comparative design study, we test the effects of agent system interactivity and role-playing functionality on counseling outcomes, with participants evaluated by standardized patients and objective judges. We find that all versions are effective at producing peer counselors who score adequately on a standardized measure of counseling competence, and that participants were significantly more satisfied with interactive virtual agents compared to passive viewing of the training material. We discuss design implications for interpersonal skills training systems based on our findings.