Effect of Active and Assisted Living technologies on psychosocial well-being in older adults: systematic review

Leo, Carlo Giacomo, Bodini, Antonella, Tumolo, Maria Rosaria, Sabina, Saverio, Colella, Riccardo, Brancaccio, Andrea, Recchia, Virginia and Mincarone, Pierpaolo (2026) Effect of Active and Assisted Living technologies on psychosocial well-being in older adults: systematic review. Frontiers in Public Health, 13. ISSN 2296-2565

Microsoft Word (rba08-Brancaccio_Effect_of_acti) - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (556kB)

Abstract

Background: In a rapidly aging society, the concept of psychosocial well-being becomes increasingly relevant, independent of health. Indeed, psychosocial well-being is closely related to autonomy, independence, and self-efficacy. Technological approaches that support older adults in leading active, healthy, and independent lives are framed within the concept of Active and Assisted Living (AAL). However, evidence regarding their impact on psychosocial well-being remains limited. Objective: This systematic review evaluates the psychosocial effects of AAL technologies in older adults. Methods: We included intervention studies reporting psychosocial outcomes related to older adults’ use of AAL technologies. We excluded studies involving participants receiving continuous on-site healthcare assistance or with moderate to severe mental health problems, technologies restricted to basic home automation or lacking advanced data processing and automation, and interventions focused on rehabilitation after acute events. Studies using not-validated measures or without quantitative evaluation of outcomes were also excluded. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, HealthSTAR, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, IEEE Xplore, APA PsycArticles, Scopus, and Web of Science from inception to January 2025. Key attributes of eligible publications were critically discussed using a 2 × 2 logic which frames findings by both technological performance and psychosocial outcome. Results: Of 6,349 records identified, 15 independent studies were included. AAL solutions targeted promotion or guidance of physical activity, self-management of chronic conditions, fostering healthy and safe habits or distraction from pain. Twelve studies assessed health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and close concepts. Depression was the second most investigated outcome, followed by fear of falling, with QoL and loneliness also reported. Conclusion: This review offers a critical analysis of both the findings and the methodologies employed in the selected studies, acknowledging the complexity of drawing unequivocally positive or negative conclusions regarding the impact of AAL technologies on the psychosocial well-being of older adults. The results highlight the need for a shared conceptual framework to inform the design, assessment, and validation of technologies intended to support daily living.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Data availability statement: The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/Supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	13 Jan 2026 17:30
Last Modified:	13 Jan 2026 17:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/101602
DOI:	10.3389/fpubh.2025.1717154

Downloads

Actions (login required)

View Item