Charting the complexity: Meta-analyzing the impacts of social robots on child development

Social robots are increasingly present in children's environments, yet their developmental impact remains unclear. This meta-analysis of 78 studies involving 4544 children addressed this gap by applying the Affective, Behavioral, Cognitive, and Social (ABC-S) framework. Results showed a small-to-moderate overall positive effect, particularly in affective and cognitive outcomes, with no significant adverse impacts observed. The impact varied by robot characteristics (morphologies, robots' roles, and embodiments), context (academic disciplines and intervention duration), and child demographics (age, developmental statuses, and regions of residence). Anthropomorphic robots and those acting as teaching assistants or task facilitators were more effective. Longer exposure slightly enhanced outcomes. Greater benefits were found for children in developing regions and for older children (7.6-16 years) compared to younger ones (2.5-7.52 years). Overall, this study advances understanding in human-robot interaction and child development, offering practical insights for designing and implementing social robots to better support children's development. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)