Robotic pets and psychosocial disability: common questions
Answers for 2026 on robotic pets and NDIS psychosocial disability: what the research covers, what to ask a therapist and how funding works.
We know of no published trial showing that a robotic pet helps people whose disability is psychosocial. The controlled trials were run in dementia care, and one of them excluded people with psychiatric diagnoses altogether. A robotic pet can still be bought with NDIS funds as low-cost assistive technology when it meets a disability-related need and a plan goal, but it is not mental health treatment, and the decision is best made with a psychologist, OT or recovery coach who knows the person.
What does psychosocial disability mean in the NDIS?
The National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 sets the disability requirements for joining the scheme. Section 24 covers a person who has one or more impairments to which a psychosocial disability is attributable, alongside intellectual, cognitive, neurological, sensory and physical impairments. The same section says impairments that are episodic or fluctuating may be taken to be permanent, which matters for conditions that come and go.
Many participants with psychosocial disability have a recovery coach in their plan. The NDIS recovery coach page describes a recovery coach as an NDIS-funded worker who helps participants with psychosocial disability build capacity and resilience, find, plan and organise supports, and connect with health and mental health services outside the NDIS.
What does the research cover, and what does it leave out?
| Study | Who took part | What it reported |
|---|---|---|
| Petersen and colleagues, 2017, J Alzheimers Dis | 61 people aged 65 or over with mild to moderate dementia, in five urban secure dementia units, over 12 weeks | Lower stress and anxiety and less use of pain and psychoactive medication in the PARO group. People with pre-existing psychiatric diagnoses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or personality disorder were excluded |
| Fan and colleagues, 2025, J Med Internet Res | 15 randomised trials, 705 participants, all living with dementia | Less agitation and anxiety with robot interventions. No significant change in depression, neuropsychiatric symptoms, cognitive function or quality of life |
The Petersen trial is a clear example of why these results do not carry over. The people most like an NDIS participant with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder were deliberately left out. The Fan review pooled trials that were all in dementia, and it found no effect on depression.
We have looked for randomised trials of robotic pets with adults whose main disability is psychosocial and have not found any. That does not prove a robotic pet cannot help one person. It means any decision rests on the person’s own preferences, a clinician’s judgement and a trial with clear notes.
What should you ask a psychologist, OT or recovery coach?
Take these to the professional who already works with the person:
- Does a robotic pet fit with the person’s current treatment and recovery plan?
- Which need would it address, for example evenings alone, getting to sleep, or something to hold during distress?
- Is there a reason it might not suit this person at the moment?
- What would you expect to see after four weeks if it is helping, and what would tell us to stop?
- Would you write a short note linking it to a plan goal?
- Should we tell the treating doctor or mental health team?
A recovery coach can help find, plan and organise a support like this. The NDIS gives a recommendation from an allied health professional as its example of evidence for low-cost AT, so a note from an OT or psychologist carries more weight with a plan manager. Our page for OTs and therapists has product details for the person writing it.
When might a robotic pet not suit?
Nothing in the research tells us who will dislike one, so this is a list of things to talk through rather than rules:
- It feels childish. Some adults find a robotic cat patronising. If the person reacts that way, accept it.
- Sound or movement. A purr, meow or bark that comes without warning can unsettle some people. Check that the model can be muted.
- Confusion about what it is. Ask the clinician whether the person might become unsure if the pet is alive, and how to talk about it.
- It replaces people. A pet that becomes a reason to skip appointments, groups or visits is working against recovery goals.
- Budget. Consumables also pays for other items. Check what is left before ordering.
If the person would rather have a live animal, read our comparison of a robotic pet, an assistance dog and a therapy animal. It explains why a pet or emotional support animal is generally outside NDIS funding, while a trained assistance animal can be funded in some cases.
How do funding, goals and paperwork work?
The NDIS supports rules draw a line between disability supports and mental health care. Schedule 2, item 13 of the NDIS supports rules lists mental health treatment, clinical services delivered through hospital mental health services, and supports related to mental health that are clinical in nature, such as acute, ambulatory or continuing care or rehabilitation, as generally not NDIS supports. A robotic pet bought with NDIS funds therefore needs to be about day-to-day functioning, not treatment.
Low-risk items under the $1,500 limit are usually paid from the Consumables budget without a quote or prior approval. A companion cat is listed at $259 to $300 and MetaCat at $349 to $399. The usual low-cost AT tests still apply: a link to the disability, a goal in the plan, a place within NDIS rules, safety for the person and some evidence.
Goals written in recovery language tend to fit well. Two examples:
- “I want to stay at home on my own in the evening without needing to ring someone.”
- “I want a way to calm myself when I wake at night.”
Add one line connecting the pet to the goal. Our goal link and recommendation checklist sets out the rest of the paperwork.
Where can you get help in a crisis?
A robotic pet is not a crisis support, and neither this site nor the suppliers we work with can help in an emergency. If anyone is in immediate danger, call Triple Zero. Lifeline offers crisis support 24 hours a day by phone, text and online chat. The NDIS lists more mental health and crisis lines on its mental health support page.
What to do next
If the person and their clinician want to try one, ask for a quote on a robotic pet for an adult with psychosocial disability, and say whether a muted or rechargeable model is preferred. For a summary of the research in autism and anxiety, see our page on robotic pets for autism and anxiety.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there evidence robotic pets help with depression or anxiety?
Not for psychosocial disability. The randomised trials we know of were run with people living with dementia. A 2025 review of 15 of those trials found less anxiety and agitation but no significant change in depression. We have not found a trial in adults whose main disability is a mental health condition, so treat any purchase as something to try and review.
- Can a psychosocial recovery coach recommend a robotic pet?
A recovery coach can help the participant look into one, plan the purchase and organise it, since finding and organising supports is part of the role the NDIS describes. For the evidence on file, the NDIS gives a recommendation from an allied health professional as its example, so a short note from an OT or psychologist is the stronger document.
- How do I link a robotic pet to a psychosocial recovery goal?
Start from a goal already in the plan, ideally in the participant's own words, such as staying at home alone in the evening or settling after waking at night. Then write one sentence saying how the pet is used for that goal, when and where. Keep that sentence, any therapist note and the invoice together.
- Could a robotic pet make someone feel worse?
We have not seen research on this for people with psychosocial disability. Some adults find a robotic pet childish, some find its sounds unsettling, and it could become a reason to avoid people or services. Agree with the person and their clinician what would signal it is not working, and stop if it causes distress.
- Does a robotic pet replace mental health treatment?
No. The NDIS supports rules treat clinical mental health care, including hospital mental health services and continuing care, as generally outside the NDIS, and a robotic pet bought with NDIS funds is a disability support, not treatment. The person should keep seeing their doctor, psychologist or mental health team.
- What should I record during a trial period?
Note the date the pet arrived, when and for how long it was used each day, what was happening at the time, and how the person responded in their own words. Record anything that did not suit, such as noise or weight. After about four weeks, share the notes with the therapist or recovery coach and bring them to the next plan review.