Virtual Reality Travel (VRT) as a Loneliness Intervention for Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 招募中
- 入组人数
- 40
- 试验地点
- 3
- 主要终点
- loneliness
研究概览
简要总结
This study aims to investigate whether and how virtual reality travel (VRT) can reduce loneliness among older adults. It will utilize a mixed-methods research design that combines an randomly assigned experiment with follow-up semi-structured interviews.
This is a pilot study and it is essential to establish the feasibility and acceptability of the protocol, assess the tolerability of VR technology in this population prior to conducting a full-scale RCT, and generate preliminary effect size estimates to inform future sample size calculations.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Treatment
- 盲法
- None
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 65 Years 至 —（Older Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 是
入选标准
- •Adults aged 65 years or older
- •Express willingness to engage with VR technology
排除标准
- •- No self-reported physical, sensory, neurological, or cognitive conditions that would make VR use unsafe or impractical (e.g., uncontrolled seizures, severe vertigo, or significant uncorrected vision/hearing impairments).
研究组 & 干预措施
Virtual reality travel group
Participants in the VR travel group experience a 13-minute-and-44-second VR tour of Bali Island, Indonesia.
干预措施: Virtual Reality Travel (Behavioral)
Attention control group
Participants in the attention control group complete 13-minute-and-44-second symmetric puzzles featuring leaves, birds, and insects.
干预措施: Puzzle-Based Attention Control Activity (Behavioral)
结局指标
主要结局
loneliness
时间窗: Baseline and following completion of the intervention session (approximately 20-30 minutes after baseline assessment)
Loneliness was assessed using a multi-item visual analog scale (VAS), with items presented as 100 mm horizontal lines anchored by "Not at all" (left) and "Extremely" (right). Items were adapted from the University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale and modified to capture present-moment experience using a "Right now…" stem, enabling assessment of state-level rather than trait-level loneliness. Participants were instructed to indicate their current feelings by placing a single perpendicular mark on each line corresponding to their response. VAS scores were calculated by measuring the distance in millimeters from the left anchor to the participant's mark, yielding a continuous score ranging from 0 to 100 for each item. Item scores were then averaged to compute an overall loneliness score, with higher values indicating higher levels of state loneliness.
次要结局
- positive emotions(Baseline and following completion of the intervention session (approximately 20-30 minutes after baseline assessment))
- meaning in life(Baseline and following completion of the intervention session (approximately 20-30 minutes after baseline assessment))
研究者
Misty Hawkins
Associate Professor
Indiana University