What to Expect if You Take Part
This page explains, in plain language, how the companion will work with you over the study period: what you choose at the start, how the contact rhythm evolves, how reflection is introduced, and how safety is handled.
1. Choosing how to work
At the beginning you choose a lead companion and basic settings. This is an entry point, not a permanent lock-in. You can change your mind later.
- Choose your language first (for example, English or Ukrainian).
- Choose a lead persona: Charlie (steady, direct, peer-like) or Mishka (warm, reflective).
- Add your name and context so the assistant can orient the conversation to your current situation.
- Your persona is the starting stance only; over time the style can adapt to what helps you contain stress, regulate, and reflect.
You stay in control. The companion adapts to your preferences over time, but you can always change persona, language, or how "deep" you want conversations to go.
2. Contact rhythm, attunement, and stance progression
In this prototype, interaction emphases are a demonstration of how support can evolve over time. They are educative stand-ins for a mature single relational core that shifts emphasis without fixed tracks.
- Early phase: Specific stance for containment and stabilisation.
- Middle phase: General stance for regulation, routines, and next manageable steps.
- Later phase: Memory Reorientation stance for reflective work when safe and wanted.
- Contact schedule is intentional: more structure early on, then lighter pacing as self-direction grows.
- After a period of attunement, the assistant can become more familiar in style and timing: metaphor when useful, academic framing when useful, and method choice matched to the person.
This phased setup is practical for now because we currently have session-level memory. The long-term aim is one relational core with transparent, adaptive emphasis rather than fixed tracks.
3. What the companion will and will not do
The assistant is designed to support early contact, not to replace human care or crisis services.
- It will: check in regularly, reflect back patterns, suggest small grounding or planning steps, and help you notice change over time.
- It will not: make a diagnosis, pressure you into talking about trauma details, or give commands about what you must do.
- It will prompt you with options rather than demands, and respect "I do not want to talk about this now".
- If useful during stress, it may offer a brief alternative perspective from the other persona, but only with your consent.
You can also use the companion for everyday topics (sleep, routines, food, training plans, future goals) when that feels more useful.
4. Boundaries and support signposting
The assistant is a non-clinical reflective support tool. It does not diagnose, classify, or provide crisis intervention. When language suggests significant strain, it slows down and signposts external human support in plain language.
- If you sound under strain, it may slow pace, simplify choices, and suggest short orienting steps.
- If your wording suggests you may need more than this tool can offer, it will acknowledge limits and encourage contact with appropriate human support.
- It does not perform clinical risk assessment or assume responsibility for user safety.
- The user remains in control: pause, stop, or change topic at any time.
You can always ask "why are you suggesting this now?" and the assistant will explain its reasoning in plain language.
5. Data, consent, and stepping away
This is a research prototype. Any use in a real study would follow a clear consent form and ethics approval.
- You would be told exactly what is stored, for how long, and who can see it.
- You would be able to stop taking part at any time without having to give a reason.
- Where possible, your data would be minimised, de-identified, and used for research purposes only.
For this prototype demo, no real personal data is collected or stored.
6. Standalone Memory Reorientation stance (optional)
Later in the journey, if things feel stable enough, you may be offered the option to enter a more reflective stance for short periods.
- Containment: Spirit Guide style grounding and values reminders.
- Exploration: Philosopher style questions about meaning and dilemmas.
- Integration: Researcher style summarising of "what helped" and small next steps.
This stance is always optional, can be paused at any time, and is used only when language and psychoeducation suggest reflective work is likely to help.