文摘
The modelling of empathic reactions in virtual agents has been recognised as a key aspect to improve agent-user relationship. Empathy is particularly important in a virtual agent used in computer-based psychotherapy applications. From a clinical perspective, it is more useful to produce therapeutic-empathy responses in the agent and not only natural empathic reactions as response to patient’s inputs. Based on Gross’s theory of emotion regulation, this paper presents a model of cognitive change used to reappraise with a more positive perspective those negative situations reported by the user and provide an adequate emotional reaction during the interaction. An initial evaluation of the model is also presented and the further work is described.