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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT05725395

Virtual Reality as a Intrinsic Motivation Intervention

The goal is to explore the use of Virtual Reality (VR) as an intervention to increase intrinsic motivation in a healthcare setting. The investigators would like to determine if an educational VR intervention in the course of healthcare could increase pediatric patient intrinsic motivation compared to standard of care (i.e no VR).

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Key information

Conditions

Psychological

Age range

5 year–25 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford

Palo Alto, California, 94304, United States

About this study

While virtual reality has gained momentum as a therapeutic supplement to distract from pain perception and to reduce anxiety, it has received less attention as an intervention to promote more holistic psychological intrinsic motivation in the course of in-patient care. Child and adolescent self-reported measures of intrinsic motivation have also been looked over in favor of parent or practitioner measures of a child's intrinsic motivation.

To evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality on child and adolescent intrinsic motivation while undergoing hospital care, the investigators will determine the effect of virtual reality to 1) increase pediatric patient intrinsic motivation compared to standard of care using educational virtual reality, 2) establish a comprehensive profile of short-term psychological well-being in school-aged children and adolescents following admission to a hospital. Participants will serve as their own control to either receive intervention on the first day or second day of the in-patient care and no intervention will be given on the other day.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Patients' age range from 5 to 25 at LPCH/SHC facilities
  • patient who speak english only

Exclusion criteria

  • Participants who do not consent
  • Have a history of seizure disorder
  • Currently have nausea
  • Have motion sickness
  • Are clinically unstable
  • Currently using corrective glasses (not compatible with VR headset)
  • Currently pregnant
  • non-English speakers

Treatment and study plan

Virtual reality

Behavioral

During in-patient care participants will be randomized to receive or not receive the educational virtual reality intervention on the first day. After two days, participants will receive a total of 10 minutes interventional in the morning (between 8am to 12pm) every day until their in-patient care concludes.

Standard of Care

Behavioral

For case control, participants will service as their self control and be randomized to receive no virtual reality intervention on either the first day or the second day of in-patient care.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in the intrinsic motivation

    Time frame: Day 1(baseline), Day 2

    Measured with six items from the modified Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) - Interest/Enjoyment Subscale. The perceived interest/enjoyment is scored on scale ranging from 1 (Not at all true) to 7 (very true)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in current mental well being as measured by the modified WHO (Five) Well-Being Index

    Time frame: Day 1(baseline), Day 2

    The modified WHO (Five) Well-Being Index is a participant-reported outcome measure that assesses current mental well being. Questionnaire contains 5 questions . Scores range from 0 to 5, with higher scores indicating the corresponding feeling exists all the time.

  2. Change in the self-esteem (child)

    Time frame: Day 1(baseline), Day 2

    Measured with five items from the modified Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (child). The self-esteem is scored on scale ranging from 1 (very true) to 4 (Definitely not true)

  3. Change in the self-esteem (Adolescent)

    Time frame: Day 1(baseline), Day 2

    Measured with five items from the modified Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Adolescent). The self-esteem is scored on scale ranging from 1 (Strongly agree) to 4 (Strongly disagree)

  4. Change in the caregiver perception of the educational experience of the patient

    Time frame: Day 1(baseline), Day 2

    Measured with seven items from a modified Educational Experience Parental Survey Scale. The caregiver perception of the educational experience of the patient is scored on scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree)

  5. Change in educational self efficacy

    Time frame: Day 1(baseline), Day 2

    Measured with six items from the modified New General Self-Efficacy Scale. The educational self efficacy is scored on scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree)

Other outcomes

  1. Change in the Positive and Negative Affect feeling and emotion for Children

    Time frame: Day 1(baseline), Day 2

    Measured with ten items from the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children (PANAS-C). The positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) feelings and emotions are scored on scale ranging from 1 (Very slightly or not at all) to 5 (Extremely)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Thomas Caruso

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Virtual Reality Education for Hospitalized Pediatric Patients Improves Intrinsic Motivation: A Prospective Crossover Study

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Feb 13, 2023
Registry last updated
Nov 4, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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