Effectiveness of a Virtual Reality (VR) Intervention for Prosocial Behavior and Well-being Among Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Prosocial identity

Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention); immediately after the intervention (post-intervention); 1 month after intervention (follow-up)

The Internalization subscale of the Self Importance of Moral Identity Scale (SIMIS) will be used to measure the construct of prosocial identity. Participants will rate each item on a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). Elevated scores on the scale indicate a greater degree of prosocial identity.

Altruism

Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention); immediately after the intervention (post-intervention); 1 month after intervention (follow-up)

Two items from the Preference Survey Module (PSM) will be modified to measure altruism. One example item is as follows: "Imagine the following scenario: you have won 1,000 Euros in a lottery. Considering your present circumstances, how much of the prize would you donate to a charitable cause? (Values between 0 and 1000 are permissible)." Higher scores on this item indicate a higher level of altruistic behavior or tendencies.

Prosocial attitudes

Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention); immediately after the intervention (post-intervention); 1 month after intervention (follow-up)

Three items assessing prosocial attitudes will be revised from the Prosocial Orientation Questionnaire. Participants will rate each item on a 6-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree). Higher scores on the scale indicate a greater presence of positive prosocial attitudes.

Prosocial intention

Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention); immediately after the intervention (post-intervention); 1 month after intervention (follow-up)

The Prosocial Behavioral Intentions Scale (PBIS) will be employed to evaluate individuals' future intentions to engage in prosocial behavior. Participants will rate each item on a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (Definitely would not do this) to 7 (Definitely would do this). Increased scores on the scale indicate a greater inclination towards prosocial intentions.

Subjective happiness

Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention); immediately after the intervention (post-intervention); 1 month after intervention (follow-up)

The Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS) will be utilized to assess participants' subjective happiness. Each item will be rated on a 7-point Likert scale. Elevated scores on the scale indicate a greater level of subjective happiness.

Subjective vitality

Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention); immediately after the intervention (post-intervention); 1 month after intervention (follow-up)

Three items from the Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS) will be used to measure participants' subjective vitality. Each item will be rated on a 7-point Likert scale. Higher scores indicate a higher level of subjective vitality.

Self-esteem

Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention); immediately after the intervention (post-intervention); 1 month after intervention (follow-up)

The Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSE) will be used to measure self-esteem. Each item will be rated on a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly agree) to 4(strongly disagree). Higher scores indicate higher levels of self esteem.

Daily subjective happiness

Time Frame: Daily monitoring for 5 weeks during the intervention

Daily subjective happiness will be measured using a condensed 2-item adaptation of the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS). The first item will assess their self-perceived general happiness today on a scale from 1 (not at all happy) to 7 (very happy). The second item will gauge their comparative happiness to their peers during the same timeframe, ranging from 1 (less happy) to 7 (more happy). Higher scores indicate a higher level of daily subjective happiness.

Daily psychological needs

Time Frame: Daily monitoring for 5 weeks during the intervention

Daily psychological needs will be assessed using a 9-item Basic Psychological Needs Scale (BPNS). Each subscale, namely competence, autonomy, and relatedness, consists of 3 items rated on a 7-point scale (ranging from 1 = not at all true to 7 = very true). Higher scores indicate a higher level of daily psychological needs.

Empathy

Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention); immediately after the intervention (post-intervention); 1 month after intervention (follow-up)

The Single Item Trait Empathy Scale (SITES) will be utilized to assess levels of empathy. Participants will rate this item on a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), with higher scores indicating a greater degree of empathy.

Daily subjective vitality

Time Frame: Daily monitoring for 5 weeks during the intervention

Daily subjective vitality will be assessed using 3 representative items from the 7-item Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS). All items will be rated on a 7-point scale (1 = not at all true to 7 = very true). Higher scores indicate a higher level of daily subjective vitality.

Attitudes toward helping others

Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention); immediately after the intervention (post-intervention); 1 month after intervention (follow-up)

The Attitudes toward Helping Others Scale (AHO) will be employed to assess individuals' attitudes towards helping others. Each item will be rated on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Elevated scores on the scale indicate a greater presence of positive attitudes towards helping others.

Life satisfaction

Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention); immediately after the intervention (post-intervention); 1 month after intervention (follow-up)

The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) will be employed to evaluate levels of life satisfaction. Participants will rate each item on a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree." Elevated scores on the scale indicate greater levels of life satisfaction.

Affect

Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention); immediately after the intervention (post-intervention); 1 month after intervention (follow-up)

The Emmons Mood Indicator will be employed to measure affect, encompassing two dimensions: Positive Affect and Negative Affect. Each item will be rated on a 7-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (not at all) to 7 (extremely). Elevated scores on the scale indicate a higher level of affect.

Daily gratitude

Time Frame: Daily monitoring for 5 weeks during the intervention

Daily gratitude will be measured using one item from the Gratitude Adjective Checklist (GAC). This item will be rated on a 7-point Likert scale. A higher score indicates a higher level of daily gratitude.

Gratitude

Time Frame: Baseline (pre-intervention); immediately after the intervention (post-intervention); 1 month after intervention (follow-up)

One item from the Gratitude Adjective Checklist (GAC) will be used to measure participants' gratitude. This item will be rated on a 7-point Likert scale. A higher score indicate a higher level of gratitude.

Daily well-being

Time Frame: Daily monitoring for 5 weeks during the intervention

Daily well-being will be assessed using a single item ("How do you feel right now?") adapted from the Well-Being Manifestations Measure Scale (WBMMS) using a sliding scale ranging from 0 (not good at all) to 100 (very good). A higher score indicates a higher level of daily well-being.

Daily prosocial act

Time Frame: Daily monitoring for 5 weeks during the intervention

Daily prosocial act will be measured by one item: "How many acts have you engaged today that involve helping someone else or doing something for a good cause?" Participants will indicate the number of prosocial acts from a drop-down menu ranging from 0 to 10+. The response of "0" will be classified as "no prosocial engagement," and responses of "1" or more will be classified as "having engaged in prosocial acts."

Daily affect

Time Frame: Daily monitoring for 5 weeks during the intervention

Daily affect will be evaluated using the 9-item Emmons Mood Indicator. Participants will be instructed to rate the extent to which they experienced each emotion today using a 7-point scale (ranging from 1 = not at all to 7 = extremely). Elevated scores on the scale indicate a higher level of daily affect.

Daily self-esteem

Time Frame: Daily monitoring for 5 weeks during the intervention

Daily self-esteem will be evaluated using 2 items from the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965). Ratings will be evaluated on a 4-point scale (1 = strongly disagree to 4 = strongly agree). Higher scores indicate a higher level of daily self-esteem.