VR Intervention to Improve Police Safety

Not Applicable

Completed

Interventions: Behavioral: Virtual Reality Intervention
Behavioral: Video Modeling Intervention
Behavioral: No intervention

Brief Summary: The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate the efficacy of Floreo's police safety module (PSM) in adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by assessing improvement in police interaction skills as compared to a video modeling intervention.

Detailed Description: Advances in virtual reality (VR) technology offer new opportunities to design interventions targeting the core deficits associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and promote acquisition of skills necessary for effective navigation of challenging social situations, such as engagement with law enforcement. Researchers have explored the potential of virtual reality technology in targeting autism-related deficits, but at this time there are no evidence-based VR interventions for ASD. While most research labelled VR for the purposes of therapy has not been immersive, in recent years, the commercial introduction of head-mounted displays (HMD) and lower cost of virtual reality technology have led to greater interest in therapeutic applications of VR. As part of a mission to develop VR products for individuals with ASD, investigators will collaborate with a commercial tech start-up company, Floreo Technology, to study a mobile VR module for police safety skills. Investigators seek to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the mobile VR police safety module (PSM) and the effectiveness of the module in improving police interaction skills in adolescents and adults with ASD.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria

Males or females age 12 to 60 years.
Documented autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis
Verbal Intelligence Quotient (IQ) >/= 75 (verbal and non-verbal)
Informed consent (if adult) or parental/guardian permission (if child or adult with diminished capacity) and, if applicable, assent

Exclusion Criteria

Participation in pilot virtual reality (VR) study at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
Personal or family history of seizures or a seizure disorder
Primary sensory impairment (e.g., blindness, deafness)
Personal or family history of migraines
History of vertigo
History of strabismus, other eye muscle problems, or eye surgery
History of concussion with hospitalization
Diagnosis of a known genetic syndrome (e.g., Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome)
History of a medical condition which has affected/affects cognitive, sensory, or motor functioning (e.g., Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, brain injury, stroke, brain tumor)
Non-English speaking
Parents/guardians or subjects who, in the opinion of the Investigator, may be non-compliant with study schedules or procedures

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Phase IIB - remote	Virtual Reality Intervention	Participants will be assigned to either a) three sessions of virtual reality-based intervention aimed at improving police interaction skills or b) no intervention. Assessments of police skills will occur before intervention, after intervention, and 3-4 weeks follow up in the intervention group and at comparable timepoints in the no intervention group.
Phase IIA - in-person	Virtual Reality Intervention	Participants will be assigned to either a) a virtual reality-based intervention or b) an video modeling intervention both aimed at improving police interaction skills. Assessments of police skills will occur before intervention and after intervention (three sessions of each).
Phase IIA - in-person	Video Modeling Intervention	Participants will be assigned to either a) a virtual reality-based intervention or b) an video modeling intervention both aimed at improving police interaction skills. Assessments of police skills will occur before intervention and after intervention (three sessions of each).
Phase IIB - remote	No intervention	Participants will be assigned to either a) three sessions of virtual reality-based intervention aimed at improving police interaction skills or b) no intervention. Assessments of police skills will occur before intervention, after intervention, and 3-4 weeks follow up in the intervention group and at comparable timepoints in the no intervention group.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Live or Virtual Police Interaction Assessment Scores From Pre-to-Post Treatment	The Police Interaction Assessment was administered pre- and post-intervention (~2 weeks apart). Outcome measure data represent the difference in Police Interaction Assessment scores (post-intervention minus pre-intervention.)	The primary efficacy endpoint is the change in live in-person (Phase IIA) or virtual (Phase IIB) Police Interaction Assessment Scores between the Floreo PSM Virtual Reality Intervention and BE SAFE Video-Based intervention (Phase IIA) or treatment-as-usual (Phase IIB) from pre-treatment to post-treatment. Greater pre-treatment to post-treatment scores indicate better 3rd party ratings of social skills in that domain. The range of possible scores for the Police Interaction Assessment is -3 (performance got significantly worse from pre-treatment to post-treatment) to 3 (performance improved significantly from pre-treatment to post-treatment) on each variable (overall behavior, appropriate response, orienting, and fidgeting).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Police Interaction Knowledge	Baseline and immediately post-intervention (~2 weeks apart)	The secondary endpoint includes changes in Police Interaction Knowledge Questionnaire Scores from Pre-Treatment to Post-Treatment or Pre-TAU to Post-TAU. Before and after the in-person Floreo VR intervention, participants completed a 10-question survey that asked about their feelings of comfort and safety when interacting with police officers. The scale for each question ranged from 1-7, with 7 indicating greater feelings of safety, comfort, and knowledge and 1 indicating fewer feelings of safety, comfort, and knowledge. Scores were summed to create a total score, which ranged from 10 to 70, and then subtracted to calculate a change score (post-intervention minus pre-intervention). Change scores, which had a possible range of -60 to +60, were compared between groups. Greater change scores after intervention or TAU indicate greater feelings of safety, comfort, and knowledge when interacting with police.