In Vitro Exposure by VR to Enhance Return to Work After Sick Leave Due to Stress-related Complaints

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Return to Work; Occupational Stress; Self-Efficacy

• Registration Number: NCT06888999
• Lead Sponsor: Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA)

Brief Summary

The goal of this pilot randomised controlled trial is to investigate whether in vitro exposure by VR enhances return to work (RTW) in flight cabin crew on sick leave with stress-related complaints. The main research questions are: 1. Does VR enhances time to full RTW? 2. Does VR increase self-efficacy and positive cognitions regarding RTW, and decrease job anxiety? Researchers will compare a control group receiving care as usual as provided by a psychotherapist to an intervention group receiving care as usual plus one session with VR-glasses in which participants are virtually exposed to their workplace.

Detailed Description

This study evaluates the effectiveness of in vitro exposure to the workplace by means of VR to improve sustainable RTW among sick-listed flight cabin crew with stress-related complaints compared to usual care. The study design is a pilot randomized controlled trial, including an intervention and control group. Sick-listed workers in the control group receive care as usual from a psychotherapist. Sick-listed workers in the intervention group receive care as usual from a psychotherapist and participate in a VR-session. During the VR-session, guided by the psychotherapist, participants are virtually exposed to their workplace. Data on the primary outcome of (full) RTW is collected based on the company's register data (12 months after baseline). Data on secondary outcomes (self-efficacy, cognitions regarding RTW and job anxiety) is collected with baseline and follow-up questionnaires (4 months after baseline).

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2025-03
• Study First Submitted: 2025-03-20
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-03-20
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-03-20
• Study First Posted: 2025-03-21
• Last Update Posted: 2025-03-21
• Study Start: 2025-05
• Primary Completion: 2026-05
• Study Completion: 2026-06

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 118

Inclusion Criteria

• sick listed cabin crew with stress-related complaints that are referred by the occupational physician to a specific psychotherapist practice

Exclusion Criteria

• epilepsy
• eye condition
• no signed informed consent

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Lasting return to work	4 months and 12 months after baseline	Lasting return to work of at least 28 consecutive days without (partial or full) relapse, measured by company register data.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Stress-related complaints	Baseline and 4-months follow-up	Stress-related complaints (e.g., type of disease, severity of symptoms) by means of PSS-10 (Cohen, Kamarck, \& Mermelstein, 1983).
Self-efficacy regarding return to work	Baseline and 4-months follow-up	Self-efficacy regarding return to work measured by SE-RTW questionnaire (Lagerveld et al., 2010).
Attitude regarding return to work	Baseline and 4-months follow-up	Scale on attitude regarding return to work (De Rijk et al., 2008)
Job anxiety	Baseline and 4-months follow-up	Anxiety related to the job measured by the Job Anxiety Scale (Schmalbach et al., 2023).

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

KLM; 🇳🇱 Schiphol, Netherlands