From Momentary Emotion Inference to Sustained Emotion Support: Evaluating a Companion Agent in a Longitudinal Study

2026-09-14

AI Summary

研究通过14天内与19名参与者使用基于理论的情绪调节伴侣PAIR，评估生成代理在持续情绪支持中的效果，发现指导对话后情绪改善且个性化支持随时间增强。

Abstract

Sustained emotional support is a long-horizon interaction task closely tied to human well-being. Recent research demonstrates generative agents' capacity for momentary emotional support, yet how these capabilities sustain support over time remains unclear. To examine this challenge, we deployed PAIR, a theory-based emotion-regulation companion, with 19 participants for 14 days. Across 1,093 sessions, we paired emotion estimates with self-reports before and after guidance and analyzed logs and interviews. Estimates corresponded more closely to self-reported valence and dominance than arousal. Guided conversations were followed by higher valence and state-dependent arousal changes. Participants felt understood through contextual exploration and emotional acknowledgment, acting on guidance suited to their needs and constraints. Perceived helpfulness of guided conversation significantly increased over time. Our findings link memory updates and retained corrections to cross-session personalization, informing future emotional support tools that adapt to evolving needs, learn from prior outcomes, and preserve user control over memory.

Problem

• Sustained emotional support
• Generative agents
• Longitudinal study
• Emotion regulation

Innovation

• sustained emotional support
• personalization
• emotion-regulation companion
• longitudinal study
• memory updates