Training lay counselors with virtual agents to promote vaccination

Abstract

Training laypeople to promote vaccination among their friends and family may be an effective way to boost the reach of vaccination interventions. We describe a virtual agent system that teaches laypeople communication and counseling skills using a combination of a pedagogical agent as well as a role-playing agent that takes on the persona of someone resistant to vaccination. We conducted a preliminary evaluation of the prototype, in which trainees first interacted with the prototype and then had a recorded conversation with a second person who was unvaccinated. Firstly, we found that trainees were mostly adherent to the skills taught by the agent. Secondly, there was a positive correlation of change in unvaccinated individuals' intent to get vaccinated with objective scores of display of empathy by the trainee during their conversation. Thirdly, unvaccinated partners rated the trainees high on relationship quality and use of empathic listening skills.