The Effect of a Virtual Reality Exergame on Mood
Phase: NA
Conditions: Virtual Reality
Sponsor: Palo Alto University

 
 
 
The Effect of a Virtual Reality Exergame on Mood 
NCT05249582 
12/13/2021 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Study Protocol: 
Participants contacted the email address associated with the study advertisements when 
interested in the study. All participants completed the Ohio State University’s Virtual Reality and 
Human Subjects prescreening recommendations to determine eligibility in the study and were 
presented a copy of the consent form. Eligible participants were invited to participate in the 
study. Participants were provided a consent form and then directed to complete the demographic 
questionnaire, PHQ-8, the ATI, PANAS, and mood rating scale. Participants then watched a 2-
minute clip from the movie Lion King to induce a sad negative mood state. After watching the 
clip, participants completed the PANAS and a mood rating scale.  
Participants were then randomly assigned to a virtual reality condition (n=33) or a control 
condition (n=31). Participants were randomly assigned through block randomization based on 
previous virtual reality experience. After random assignment, participants engaged in rather the 
virtual reality or control condition. 
Participants in the virtual reality condition were wearing an Oculus Rift Quest. Visual 
boundaries were placed within the headset if participants moved too close to the edge of the play 
zone to prevent potential injury. Participants were informed that if they feel nauseous or dizzy at 
any time that they can discontinue the study without any loss of compensation. Participants 
played the game “The Climb” which is a game that simulates climbing various mountain 
courses. In the virtual reality condition, participants attempted to complete the first level of the 
course to reach the top of the mountain utilizing a series of arm reaching movements for up to 20 
minutes.  
Participants in the control condition watched a pre-recorded first-person viewpoint video 
of the researcher who has played the game “The Climb”. Participants were asked to “please copy 

all reaching and hand movements, as accurately as you can, as if you were the individual 
climbing”. Participants engaged with the activity for the full 9 minute and 53 second 
clip.  Participants were able to hear the background audio through a front oriented speaker. 
After completion of their activity, participants in both groups completed the PANAS, the 
mood rating scale, 2 TPI subscales, media feedback questions, and the net promoter score 
question. Participants were then debriefed about the study and received compensation. 
 
Statistical Analysis: 
A linear mixed effects model was used for the following: group level differences by 
condition with mood changes before and after condition experience; group level differences by 
condition with positive affect changes before and after condition experience; group level 
differences by condition with negative affect changes before and after condition experience; TPI 
scores significantly affected subjective mood changes; TPI scores significantly affected positive 
affect changes; TPI scores significantly affected negative affect changes; PHQ-8 scores 
moderated the subjective mood changes in the virtual reality group;  PHQ-8 scores moderated 
positive affect changes in the virtual reality group; PHQ-8 scores moderated negative affect 
changes in the virtual reality group; ATI scores moderated subjective mood changes in the 
virtual reality group; ATI scores moderated positive affect changes in the virtual reality group; 
ATI scores moderated negative affect changes in the virtual reality group.  
A simple regression analysis was used for the following: condition differences on spatial 
presence; condition differences on the presence as engagement scale; condition differences on 
helpfulness; condition differences on net promoter score. An additive multiple moderator 
analysis for repeated measures was used for the following: TPI scores moderated the subjective 

mood changes in the virtual reality group; TPI scores moderated positive affect changes in the 
virtual reality group; TPI scores moderated negative affect changes in the virtual reality group.  
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