Virtual Reality Compared to Screen Based Engagement on Mood
Condition: Virtual Reality
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Depression has a lifetime prevalence rate of 20.6% and has one of the highest prevalence
      rates of mental health disorders. Major depressive disorder can lead to higher costs of
      living for individuals as well as a larger economic decrease associated with inability to
      work. Current treatment targets one of the two core symptoms of depression of decreased mood
      or loss of interest in activities. However, current treatment models are not enough because
      there are more individuals who require treatment than treatment opportunities which creates
      inequities of care.

      Digital interventions provide a unique opportunity to increase widespread accessibility of
      treatment at reduced and scalable costs. Virtual reality is a newer type of digital
      intervention that consists of providing experiences for individuals that are different from
      the physical environment they are currently in. Through audio and visual displays, virtual
      reality creates a sense of presence, or the experience of immersion, with an environment.
      Virtual reality has been used in a variety of clinical psychology areas such as training,
      assessment, and treatment of mental health disorders and other medical conditions. Despite
      research finding efficacy for virtual reality with anxiety and PTSD, few studies have
      examined the impact of virtual reality on depressive disorders and low mood. Of studies that
      have looked at mood changes, most studies measured indirect measures of mood such as energy
      levels which leads to a gap of research on the efficacy of virtual reality with low mood.

      The present study aims to examine if virtual reality exergames improve participant's mood and
      affect. Additionally, the study will determine if there are different effects of presence,
      depressive symptoms, and technology familiarity on mood. Furthermore, the study will examine
      helpfulness and satisfaction to examine usability of virtual reality as a medium for clinical
      intervention. Lastly, findings of this study could inform the development and efficacy of
      virtual reality interventions that can be used to provide more access to treatment for
      individuals and improve outcomes to reduce the burdens associated with depression.
    

Detailed description: 
      Once participants consent, they will complete the three demographic questions and their
      familiarity with virtual reality. Participants will also complete the Patient Health
      Questionnaire-8(PHQ-8), Affinity for Technology Interaction scale (ATI), Positive and
      Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and the mood sliding scale. Participants will then be
      informed that they are going to watch a short clip and press play to watch a 2-minute video
      of Lion King. After the sad mood induction, participants will complete the PANAS and a mood
      slider scale. Participants will then be randomly assigned to the virtual reality or control
      condition. In the virtual reality condition, participants will be asked to complete the first
      course a virtual reality game called "The Climb". In the control condition, participants will
      be told that they will be watching a video of a virtual environment climbing game and then be
      asked to copy all hand movements as accurately as they can. After completing either the
      virtual reality or control condition, individuals will then complete the PANAS, mood scale,
      temple presence inventory, three feedback questions, net promoter question, and an open-ended
      question on improving the activity they just completed. Participants will then be debriefed
      about the study and compensated for their time.
    

Intervention name(s): Virtual Reality; Television Condition
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Virtual reality wireless headset; Individuals will mimic hand movements of a pre-recorded video of an individual playing the virtual reality climbing game
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Other
Keywords: virtual reality; mood; technology