The Use of a Virtual Reality Intervention on Stigma, Empathy and Attitudes Towards People With Psychotic Disorders

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Mental Disorder
• Interventions: Other: VR intervention; Other: VR control intervention

• Registration Number: NCT05982548
• Lead Sponsor: Institute of Mental Health, Singapore

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of a VR intervention on (1) stigma, (2) empathy and (3) attitudes towards those experiencing mental disorders.

Participants will review a VR intervention, and complete questionnaires at pre-test, post-test and one month follow-up.

Researchers will compare the VR intervention with a control VR intervention to evaluate the varying effects on stigma, empathy and attitudes towards those experiencing mental disorders.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2023-07-24
• Study Start: 2023-08-01
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-08-01
• Study First Posted: 2023-08-08
• Status Verified: 2023-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-10-09
• Last Update Posted: 2023-10-11
• Primary Completion: 2024-07-17
• Study Completion: 2024-07-17

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 180

Inclusion Criteria

• Participants who are aged at least 21 years old
• Employed by the Institute of Mental Health as a physician, allied health professional or nurse.
• understands English
• work directly with patients.

Exclusion Criteria

• unable to use virtual reality interventions due to reasons including motion sickness, disorientation, nausea and vomiting.
• history of epilepsy

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Intervention group	VR intervention	The VR intervention was created using the Unreal Engine software (Unreal Engine, 2022). The VR intervention includes the scenario of a home. Participants will view the home as a first person character and experience psychotic phenomena including auditory hallucinations. The intervention will be delivered in one setting and lasts no more than seven minutes. It will be disseminated using smartphone inserted into VR headset equivalent of google cardboard.
VR control group	VR control intervention	The VR control group will view the scenario of the same home without the simulated visual and auditory hallucinations.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Desire for Social Distance	pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, follow-up at 1 month after intervention	Desire for Social Distance Scale; The eight questions are rated on a four-point Likert scale: yes, definitely (0), yes, probably (1), probably not (2) and definitely not (3) with greater scores implying greater desire for social distancing.
Personal Stigma	pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, follow-up at 1 month after intervention	Personal Stigma Scale Personal Stigma Scale consisted of two subscales: 'Personal unpredictable/ dangerousness' and 'Personal weak not sick' The questions were calculated as 'strongly agree' (4) to 'strongly disagree' (0), with greater scores implying greater stigmatizing attitudes.
Empathy	pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, follow-up at 1 month after intervention	Empathetic concern sub-scale of Interpersonal Reactivity Index The 7-item sub-scale is measured on a five point likert scale ranging from 'does not describe me well' (0) to 'describes me very well' (4).
Attitudes towards those experiencing mental disorders	pre-intervention, immediately after the intervention, follow-up at 1 month after intervention	modified Attitudes Towards People with Schizophrenia scale The 7-item scale is measured on a nine point likert scale ranging from (1) to (9). Greater scores equate better attitude towards people with schizophrenia.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Acceptability of the intervention	immediately after the intervention	Authors constructed questionnaire to assess for acceptability of intervention. A total of 10 questions consisting of 6 multiple choice questions ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree on a 7-point likert scale. An example of one question is, 'I find the intervention engaging'.; It also consists of 4 open ended questions. Example of one question is, 'Please list the strength of the intervention'
Demographic data	pre-intervention	occupation, gender, marital status, ethnic groups, age, years of service
Safety of VR intervention	immediately after the intervention	Visually induced motion sickness susceptibility questionnaire: It consists of six questions that evaluates presence of adverse effects from using the VR intervention from 'never' (0) to 'often' (3).

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Institute of Mental Health; 🇸🇬 Singapore, Singapore