Examining the Effects of Virtual Reality Exercise on Mental Health

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Mental Health; Mood; Well-Being, Psychological; Physical Activity

• Registration Number: NCT06367439
• Lead Sponsor: University of Victoria

Brief Summary

The primary purpose of this investigation is to examine the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) exercise (Supernatural exergaming via Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC) for improving well-being (i.e., vitality) over a 10-week period. The secondary purpose is to examine the efficacy of VR exercise for improving depression mood symptoms, anxiety mood symptoms, and perceived cognitive functioning over a 10-week period, as well as short-term mood (post-exercise) and affective experiences during exercise. The tertiarty purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of VR exercise for improving both physical activity behaviour and physical activity motivation (attitudes, capability, opportunity, intentions, behavioural regulation, habit, identity) over a 10-week period. Another tertiary purpose is to examine whether key motivational variables (e.g., attitudes, capability, opportunity, intentions, behavioural regulation, habit, identity) regarding Supernatural use explain variability in Supernatural use over time.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2024-03-19
• Study First Submitted: 2024-03-27
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-04-11
• Study First Posted: 2024-04-16
• Primary Completion: 2025-06-02
• Study Completion: 2025-07-11
• Status Verified: 2025-08
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-08-05
• Last Update Posted: 2025-08-11

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 154

Inclusion Criteria

• Age 19-64
• Living in the Greater Victoria area
• Have a stable Wi-Fi connection at home
• Experience no health constraints that limit moderate-to-vigorous physical activity participation as identified by the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PARQ+).
• Currently participating in less than 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week (as per Canadian physical activity guidelines)
• Be willing to travel into the Behavioural Medicine Lab on the UVic campus
• Be the only member of their household to participate in the study, past or present

Exclusion Criteria

• If participant is flagged by the PARQ+ and is not cleared to participate in physical activity by their physician they are ineligible to participate
• Does not meet any of the above inclusion criteria

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Well-being: subjective vitality	Baseline, week 5, week 10	Subjective vitality will be assessed using a six-item subjective vitality scale. Participants will respond to the six subjective vitality items on a seven point Likert-type scale anchored by 1 (not at all true) to 7 (very true). The six items will be mean scored (potential range 1-7), with higher scores reflecting higher subjective vitality and a more positive outcome.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Depression and anxiety mood symptoms	Baseline, week 5, week 10	Participants will respond to the 14-item Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, which includes a depression subscale (7 items) and an anxiety subscale (7 items). Participants will respond to the 14-items using a four point (0-3) Likert-type scale. The two subscales will be mean scored (potential range 0-3), with higher scores reflecting higher depression and anxiety and more negative outcomes.
Perceived cognitive function	Baseline, week 5, week 10	Participants will respond to the organization (5 items) and strategic planning (7 items) subscales of the executive function index using a five point Likert-type scale anchored by 1 (Not at all) to 5 (Very much). The two subscales will be mean scored (potential range 1-5), with higher scores reflecting higher organization and strategic planning and more positive outcomes.
Short-term Mood	Pre (baseline) and post in-lab physical activity; through lab completion (2 hours).	Participants will respond to the positive mood valence (2 items), calmness (2 items), and energy (2 items) sub-scales of the multidimensional mood questionnaire using a seven point Likert-type scale. The three subscales will be mean scored (potential range 0-6), with higher scores indicating a more positive mood (valence, calmness, energy) and a more positive outcome.
Core Affect Measure - Feeling Scale	Baseline (pre exercise session), at ~3.5 minute intervals during exercise (post song), and at 1.5 and 3 minutes post exercise). 8 measurements total	Participants will complete a single item affect measure on an 11-point Likert-type scale anchored by -5 (very bad) to +5 (very good) to examine the affective response to exercise (Supernatural VR exercise or treadmill running). Higher scores will reflect more positive affective responses and a more positive outcome. Participants will be verbally prompted to respond to the scale during exercise (Supernatural VR exercise or treadmill exercise).
Core Affect Measure - Felt Arousal Scale	Baseline (pre exercise session), ~ at 3.5 minute intervals during exercise (post song), and at 1.5 and 3 minutes post exercise). 8 measurements total	Participants will complete a single item arousal measure on a 6-point Likert-type scale anchored by 1 (low arousal) to 6 (high arousal). Participants will be verbally prompted to respond to the scale during exercise (Supernatural VR exercise or treadmill exercise).

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Behavioural Medicine Lab; 🇨🇦 Victoria, British Columbia, Canada