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1.
A randomized pilot study evaluating socially assistive robot effects on patient engagement and care quality
Izidor Mlakar, Urška Smrke, Valentino Šafran, Igor Robert Roj, Bojan Ilijevec, Samo Horvat, Vojko Flis, Nejc Plohl, 2025, original scientific article

Abstract: Healthcare faces significant challenges, including workforce shortages and increasing demands. Socially assistive robots (SARs) have emerged as potential solutions to augment care, but their implementation in hospital wards remains largely unexplored. We conducted a randomized external pilot study (ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN96689284, registered 24/02/2022) evaluating SAR intervention feasibility and effects on patient engagement and perceived quality of care (co-primary outcomes) and health-related quality of life (secondary outcome) in surgical wards. Patients (N = 229) at University Medical Center Maribor were allocated to SAR intervention (standard care + SAR) or control groups (standard care only). The SAR utilized validated, story-driven conversational capabilities providing standardized patient education, support, and basic triage through predefined dialog flows. While overall effects on patient engagement and perceived care quality were limited, the intervention showed positive impact on pain management. Contextual factors moderated intervention effects, highlighting SAR potential in specific domains. No substantial negative effects were detected. High retention rates demonstrated practical feasibility of SAR implementation in surgical settings.
Keywords: healthcare, socially assistive robots, SARs
Published in DKUM: 08.12.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 0

2.
Razširjenost in dejavniki seksističnih prepričanj pri slovenskih mladostnikih ter učinkovitost igrificirane delavnice na temo spolne enakosti : magistrsko delo
Vanja Vogrinec, 2025, master's thesis

Abstract: Seksizem predstavlja stališča, prepričanja in vedenja, ki odražajo neenak položaj žensk in moških. Kaže se v dobronamerni ali sovražni obliki, kar pomeni, da ne predstavlja klasične oblike predsodkov, ki temelji le na negativnem dojemanju druge skupine. Namen magistrskega dela je bil raziskati pojavnost in dejavnike seksističnih prepričanj pri slovenskih srednješolcih ter ustvariti enkratno igrificirano delavnico, ki bi omogočila nižanje seksističnih prepričanj pri teh. V študijo je bilo vključenih 256 srednješolcev, od tega 58,5 % fantov. Med enkratnim srečanjem so udeleženci rešili dva sklopa vprašalnikov, testna skupina pa je bila deležna igrificirane delavnice na temo spolne enakosti. Udeleženci so odgovarjali na demografska vprašanja (spol, letnik šolanja, politična orientacija, religioznost), Vprašalnik ambivalentnega seksizma, Vprašalnik ambivalentnosti do moških, prilagojeno Lestvico družinskih vrednot in Lestvico podpore učiteljev, prav tako pa so ocenili seksizem pri najboljšem prijatelju, svoje prihodnje namere in izvedeno delavnico. Za analizo rezultatov smo uporabili T-test za neodvisne vzorce, mešano ANOVO, korelacijske, regresijske in moderatorske analize. Ugotovili smo, da so med slovenskimi srednješolci prisotne vse štiri oblike seksizma, torej dobronamerni in sovražni seksizem do žensk ter dobronamerni in sovražni seksizem do moških. Kot pomembna dejavnika razširjenosti seksističnih prepričanj izstopata spol in družinske norme, medtem ko se letnik šolanja ter zaznava seksizma pri najboljšem prijatelju nista izkazala kot bistvena. Ob evalvaciji igrificirane delavnice smo ugotovili, da je prišlo do znižanja seksističnih prepričanj tako v testni kot kontrolni skupini v primeru vseh oblik seksizma, z izjemo sovražnega seksizma do moških. Udeleženci v testni skupini so, v primerjavi s kontrolno skupino, v večji meri ocenjevali, da želijo z vrstniki in s šolskim osebjem govoriti o problematiki seksizma ter da želijo poiskati dodatne informacije o tej. Dodaten vpogled v spremembo seksističnih prepričanj so nam omogočile moderatorske analize, ki so pokazale, da so družinske norme in zaznava seksizma pri najboljšem prijatelju statistično pomemben moderator odnosa med skupino (testna ali kontrolna) ter znižanjem dobronamernega seksizma do moških. Dodatno sta spol in religioznost statistično pomembna moderatorja odnosa med skupino in znižanjem sovražnega seksizma do moških. Medtem politična orientacija predstavlja moderator odnosa med skupino in znižanjem dobronamernega seksizma do žensk ter zaznava seksizma pri najboljšem prijatelju med skupino in znižanjem sovražnega seksizma do žensk. Dodaten vidik evalvacije delavnice je predstavljala ocena delavnice udeležencev, ki pa se ni statistično pomembno povezovala z znižanjem seksističnih prepričanj. V diskusiji iščemo razlage za dobljene rezultate in jih interpretiramo v oziru do zastavljenih hipotez. Na koncu osvetlimo še pomanjkljivosti raziskave, ideje za prihodnje raziskave in uporabno vrednost.
Keywords: seksistična prepričanja, razširjenost, demografski dejavniki, družinske norme, opora učiteljev, vrstniški vpliv, delavnica, igrifikacija
Published in DKUM: 16.09.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 45
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3.
The International Work Addiction Scale (IWAS) : a screening tool for clinical and organizational applications validated in 85 cultures from six continents
Edyta Charzyńska, Nejc Plohl, 2025, original scientific article

Abstract: Background and aims: Despite the last decade’s significant development in the scientific study of work addiction/workaholism, this area of research is still facing a fundamental challenge, namely the need for a valid and reliable measurement tool that shows cross-cultural invariance and, as such, allows for worldwide studies on this phenomenon. Methods: An initial 16-item questionnaire, developed within an addiction framework, was administered alongside job stress, job satisfaction, and self-esteem measures in a total sample of 31,352 employees from six continents and 85 cultures (63.5% females, mean age of 39.24 years). Results: Based on theoretical premises and psychometric testing, the International Work Addiction Scale (IWAS) was developed as a short measure representing essential features of work addiction. The seven-item version (IWAS-7), covering all seven components of work addiction, showed partial scalar invariance across 81 cultures, while the five-item version (IWAS-5) showed it across all 85 cultures. Higher levels of work addiction on both versions were associated with higher job stress, lower job satisfaction, and lower self-esteem across cultures. The optimal cut-offs for the IWAS-7 (24 points) and IWAS-5 (18 points) were established with an overall accuracy of 96% for both versions. Discussion and conclusions: The IWAS is a valid, reliable, and short screening scale that can be used in different cultures and languages, providing comparative and generalizable results. The scale can be used globally in clinical and organizational settings, with the IWAS-5 being recommended for most practical and clinical situations. This is the first study to provide data supporting the hypothesis that work addiction is a universal phenomenon worldwide.
Keywords: workaholism, validation, cross-cultural studies, Bergen Work Addiction Scale, compulsive overworking, cross-cultural, work addiction
Published in DKUM: 29.08.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 1
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4.
Cross-cultural data on romantic love and mate preferences from 117,293 participants across 175 countries
Marta Kowal, Tina Kavčič, Maja Zupančič, Nejc Plohl, Bojan Musil, 2025, other scientific articles

Abstract: Psychological studies on close relationships have often overlooked cultural diversity, dynamic processes, and potentially universal principles that shape intimate partnerships. To address the limited generalizability of previous research and advance our understanding of romantic love experiences, mate preferences, and physical attractiveness, we conducted a large-scale cross-cultural survey study on these topics. A total of 404 researchers collected data in 45 languages from April to August 2021, involving 117,293 participants from 175 countries. Aside from standard demographic questions, the survey included valuable information on variables relevant to romantic relationships: intimate, passionate, and committed love within romantic relationships, physical-attractiveness enhancing behaviors, gender equality endorsement, collectivistic attitudes, personal history of pathogenic diseases, relationship quality, jealousy, personal involvement in sexual and/or emotional infidelity, relational mobility, mate preferences, and acceptance of sugar relationships. The resulting dataset provides a rich resource for investigating patterns within, and associations across, a broad range of variables relevant to romantic relationships, with extensive opportunities to analyze individual experiences worldwide.
Keywords: cross-cultural data, romantic love, mate preferences
Published in DKUM: 27.08.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 7
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5.
Okoljska kriza : izzivi in priložnosti za krepitev odpornosti
Minea Rutar, Nejc Plohl, Marina Horvat, Sara Tement, Bojan Musil, Karin Bakračevič, 2025, independent scientific component part or a chapter in a monograph

Abstract: V pričujočem poglavju obravnavamo ključne psihološke dejavnike, ki vplivajo na verjetnost pro-okoljskega vedenja, in izzive, ki takšno vedenje otežujejo. V prvem delu predstavimo teorijo načrtovanega vedenja, ki pojasnjuje, kako spremembe v prepričanjih, ozaveščenosti v zvezi z okoljsko problematiko, subjektivne norme in vedenjske namere prispevajo k učinkovitemu soočanju s podnebnimi spremembami. V drugem delu prispevka se osredotočimo na pojav podnebne anksioznosti in psihološke intervencije, ki se jih najpogosteje uporablja pri obravnavi tega pojava. Orišemo pristop multiplih potreb ter predstavimo razlike med različnimi vrstami in ravnmi intervencij ter njihovo vlogo pri komuniciranju, spodbujanju in krepitvi odpornosti posameznikov ter skupnosti.
Keywords: teorija načrtovanega vedenja, pro-okoljsko vedenje, subjektivne norme, podnebna anksioznost, pristop multiplih potreb
Published in DKUM: 25.08.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 12
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6.
Feasibility of a computerized clinical decision support system delivered via a socially assistive robot during grand rounds : a pilot study
Valentino Šafran, Urška Smrke, Bojan Ilijevec, Samo Horvat, Vojko Flis, Nejc Plohl, Izidor Mlakar, 2025, original scientific article

Abstract: Aims and Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility, usability and acceptance of integrating Clinical Decision Support Systems with Socially Assistive Robots into hospital grand rounds. Background: Adopting Clinical Decision Support Systems in healthcare faces challenges such as complexity, poor integration with workflows, and concerns about data privacy and quality. Issues such as too many alerts, confusing errors, and difficulty using the technology in front of patients make adoption challenging and prevent it from fitting into daily workflows. Making Clinical Decision Support System simple, intuitive and user-friendly is essential to enable its use in daily practice to improve patient care and decision-making. Methods: This six-month pilot study had two participant groups, with total of 40 participants: a longitudinal intervention group (n =8) and a single-session evaluation group (n=32). Participants were medical doctors at the University Clinical Center Maribor. The intervention involved implementing a Clinical Decision Support System delivered via a Socially Assistive Robot during hospital grand rounds. We developed a system that employed the HL7 FHIR standard for integrating data from hospital monitors, electronic health records, and patient-reported outcomes into a single dashboard. A Pepper-based SAR provided patient specific recommendations through a voice and SAR tablet enabled interface. Key evaluation metrics were assessed using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance, Use of Technology (UTAUT2) questionnaire, including Effort Expectancy, Performance Expectancy and open ended questions. The longitudinal group used the system for 6 months and completed the assessments twice, after one week and at the end of the study. The single-session group completed the assessment once, immediately after the experiment. Qualitative data were gathered through open-ended questions. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and thematic analysis. Results: System usability was rated highly across both groups, with the longitudinal group reporting consistently excellent scores (M =82.08 at final evaluation) compared to the acceptable scores of the single-session group (M =68.96). Extended exposure improved user engagement, reflected in significant increases in Effort Expectancy and Habit over time. Participants found the system enjoyable to use, and while no significant changes were seen in Performance Expectancy, feedback emphasized its efficiency in saving time and improving access to clinical data, supporting its feasibility and acceptability. Conclusions: This research supports the potential of robotic technologies to transform CDSS into more interactive, efficient, and user-friendly tools for healthcare professionals. The paper also suggests further research directions and technical improvements to maximize the impact of innovative technologies in healthcare.
Keywords: clinical decision support systems, clinical decision-making, hospital grand rounds, patient data integration, perceived quality of care, socially assistive robots, usability and familiarity, user experience questionnaire, workload reduction
Published in DKUM: 30.05.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 3
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7.
Facilitating acceptance, trust, and ethical integration of socially assistive robots among nurses : a quasi-experimental study
Izidor Mlakar, Igor Robert Roj, Vojko Flis, Valentino Šafran, Urška Smrke, 2025, original scientific article

Abstract: Objectives: To evaluate the impact of different types of demonstrations (no demonstration, video demonstration, and face-to-face demonstration) on nurses’ acceptance, trust, and ethical considerations regarding socially assistive robots. Methods: The study employed a quasi-experimental design involving 312 nurses: 201 with no exposure to socially assistive robots, 97 exposed via video demonstrations, and 14 exposed through live face-to-face demonstrations in a hospital room. Participants completed self-report measures assessing their perceptions of ethical acceptability, trust, and acceptance of socially assistive robots. Results: Participants exposed to any kind of demonstration reported significantly higher perceptions of ethical acceptability compared to those with no exposure. Among demonstration types, live face-to-face demonstrations resulted in higher overall ethical acceptability, satisfaction, and acceptance compared to video demonstrations. Conclusions: Demonstrations, particularly face-to-face interactions, play a crucial role in fostering ethical acceptability and overall acceptance of socially assistive robots. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating live demonstrations in strategies to improve healthcare professionals’ trust and acceptance of robotic technology.
Keywords: ethical acceptability, acceptance, socially assistive robots, nurses, quasi experimental study
Published in DKUM: 29.05.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 2
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8.
Exploring the feasibility of generative AI in persona research : a omparative analysis of large language model-generated and human-crafted personas in obesity research
Urška Smrke, Ana Rehberger, Nejc Plohl, Izidor Mlakar, 2025, original scientific article

Abstract: This study investigates the perceptions of Persona descriptions generated using three different large language models (LLMs) and qualitatively developed Personas by an expert panel involved in obesity research. Six different Personas were defined, three from the clinical domain and three from the educational domain. The descriptions of Personas were generated using qualitative methods and the LLMs (i.e., Bard, Llama, and ChatGPT). The perception of the developed Personas was evaluated by experts in the respective fields. The results show that, in general, the perception of Personas did not significantly differ between those generated using LLMs and those qualitatively developed by human experts. This indicates that LLMs have the potential to generate a consistent and valid representation of human stakeholders. The LLM-generated Personas were perceived as believable, relatable, and informative. However, post-hoc comparisons revealed some differences, with descriptions generated using the Bard model being in several Persona descriptions that were evaluated most favorably in terms of empathy, likability, and clarity. This study contributes to the understanding of the potential and challenges of LLM-generated Personas. Although the study focuses on obesity research, it highlights the importance of considering the specific context and the potential issues that researchers should be aware of when using generative AI for generating Personas.
Keywords: user personas, obesity, large language models, value sensitive design, digital health interventions
Published in DKUM: 14.02.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 12
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9.
Decoding anxiety : a scoping review of observable cues
Urška Smrke, Izidor Mlakar, Ana Rehberger, Leon Žužek, Nejc Plohl, 2024, review article

Abstract: Background: While anxiety disorders are one of the most prevalent mental diseases, they are often overlooked due to shortcomings of the existing diagnostic procedures, which predominantly rely on self-reporting. Due to recent technological advances, this source of information could be complemented by the so-called observable cues – indicators that are displayed spontaneously through individuals’ physiological responses or behaviour and can be detected by modern devices. However, while there are several individual studies on such cues, this research area lacks a synthesis. In line with this, our scoping review aimed to identify observable cues that offer meaningful insight into individuals’ anxiety and to determine how these cues can be measured. Methods: We followed the PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews. The search string containing terms related to anxiety and observable cues was entered into four databases (Web of Science, MEDLINE, ERIC, IEEE). While the search – limited to English peer-reviewed records published from 2012 onwards – initially yielded 2311 records, only 33 articles fit our selection criteria and were included in the final synthesis. Results: The scoping review unravelled various categories of observable cues of anxiety, specifically those related to facial expressions, speech and language, breathing, skin, heart, cognitive control, sleep, activity and motion, location data and smartphone use. Moreover, we identified various approaches for measuring these cues, including wearable devices, and analysing smartphone usage and social media activity. Conclusions: Our scoping review points to several physiological and behavioural cues associated with anxiety and highlights how these can be measured. These novel insights may be helpful for healthcare practitioners and fuel future research and technology development. However, as many cues were investigated only in a single study, more evidence is needed to generalise these findings and implement them into practice with greater confidence.
Keywords: anxiety, observable cues, digital biomarkers, scoping review, physiological cues, behavioural cues
Published in DKUM: 07.02.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 7
.pdf Full text (910,98 KB)

10.
Unlocking the power of socially assistive robotic nurses in hospitals through innovative living lab methodology
Umut Arioz, Božidar Bratina, Izidor Mlakar, Nejc Plohl, Suzana Uran, Igor Robert Roj, Riko Šafarič, Valentino Šafran, 2024, original scientific article

Abstract: Objectives: Pilot 5 utilizes AI and robotics to develop a robotic nurse assisting hospital staff in response to workforce shortages and rising care demands due to an aging population. This project aims to optimize resources, reduce errors, and improve patient satisfaction through personalized care. Methods: The Living Lab approach was implemented to split the study into sprints. The first split involves working with project partners and stakeholders to define the problem, brainstorm functionalities, and identify limitations (24 participants). The second split focuses on further requirement gathering, exploring real-world use cases, and considering ethical and privacy concerns (51 participants). Results: The project used iterative development cycles (5-8 months) to continuously improve the solution. Surveys revealed high satisfaction rates, with average scores of 4.0 and 3.6 for Sprints 1 and 2, respectively. Similarly, a team morale survey indicated a positive trend, with average scores of 7.6 and 8.18 for Sprints 1 and 2, respectively. Conclusion: Pilot 5 offers a promising solution to the evolving needs of modern hospitals. This study explores the integration of a social robotic system into nursing care to enhance quality and emphasizes stakeholder engagement, participatory design, and user-centered approaches in AI healthcare solutions.
Keywords: co-creation, stakeholder engagement, socially assistive humanoid robots, living lab, hospital care
Published in DKUM: 03.02.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 8
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