Experience of use, usability and psychosocial impact of robotic and virtual reality technology in neuromotor rehabilitation: A mixed-method triangulation analysis of patients' and their therapists’ perspective

Robotics and Virtual Reality (VR) have shown promise in rehabilitation programs, but more integrated technology evaluations are essential to promote patient engagement and outcomes. This study assessed technology experience of use, usability, and psychosocial impact in neuromotor rehabilitation, by accounting both patients' (n = 29) and their therapists' (n = 13) view. A mixed-method convergent parallel design with a nested triangulation protocol was adopted to analyze participants’ perspectives and further identify agreements and discrepancies. Positive perceptions of technology experience of use, usability, and psychosocial impact were reported by patients along with significant correlations between technology use and perceived effectiveness. Therapists noted acceptable usability with some device-specific variations. From qualitative data, key themes were identified (i.e., “Learnability,” "Engagement," "Implementation", “Barriers”) and areas for improvement were highlighted for future deployment. Finally, triangulation showed broad agreement among participants. Findings emphasize the need for integrating different user perspective when evaluating rehabilitation technologies and underscore their potential to enhance rehabilitation outcomes.