Virtual Reality Compared to Screen Based Engagement on Mood

There are twenty total items of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule has two subscales, negative affect and positive affect, that consist of 10 items each on a 5-point likert scale from 1 (very slightly or not at all) to 5 (extremely). The PANAS has different time instructions based on when the researcher would like to measure affect and the moment instruction was used. The minimum value for each subscale is 1 and the maximum for each subscale is 5. Each subscale is calculated from an average of 10 items that compose of the subscale. Higher scores indicate more endorsement of positive affect or negative affect depending on the subscale endorsed. Individuals were provided the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule at baseline and after completion 2 minute of mood induction.

There are twenty total items of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule has two subscales, negative affect and positive affect, that consist of 10 items each on a 5-point likert scale from 1 (very slightly or not at all) to 5 (extremely). The PANAS has different time instructions based on when the researcher would like to measure affect and the moment instruction was used. The minimum total value for both positive and negative affect subscales is 10 and the maximum total value for each subscale is 50. Higher scores indicate more endorsement of positive affect or negative affect depending on the subscale endorsed. Participants were measured after mood induction and after completion of the virtual reality or control condition. A change in score was calculated by subtracting the total value of the negative subscale before and after the time point and subtracting the total value of the positive subscale before and after the time point.

The Temple Presence Inventory measures the amount of presence across different technologies such as virtual reality. The Temple Presence Inventory has eight subscales that measure the following dimensions: spatial presence, social presence with actor in medium, passive social presence, active social presence, presence as engagement, presence as social richness, presence as social realism, and presence as perceptual realism. Only spatial presence and presence as engagement was utilized in the study to determine presence as no social interaction was utilized in the study. Each item is rated on a 7-point scale from 1 (not at all) to 7 (very much) with higher mean subscale scores reflecting higher association with the specific presence factor. The minimum value for each subscale was 1 and the maximum value was 7. Each participant was only measured once approximately 30 minutes after the start of study after they completed rather the virtual reality condition or control condition.

The Patient Health Questionnaire-8 is an 8-item self-report measure used to screen for major depressive episodes and the severity of depressive symptoms. Each item is rated on a 4-point scale from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day) with higher mean scores reflecting more depressive symptoms. Individuals were measured once at the beginning of the study. The minimum value for the PHQ-8 was 0 and maximum was 24.

The Affinity for Technology Interaction Scale is a 9-item measure used to assess an individual's level of engagement with technology. Each item is rated on a 6-point Likert scale from 1 (completely disagree) to 6 (completely agree). Items 3, 6, and 8 are reverse coded and a mean score is calculated with higher scores reflecting an individual having more independence and utilization of technology. Each participant completed the measure once after completion of the virtual reality condition or control condition. The minimum score was 1 and maximum was 6.

Participant subjective mood rating was measured with a 10-point Likert visual analogue scale from not smiling (1) to smiling (10). Higher scores indicate more positive mood and lower scores indicate more negative mood. Minimum score was 1 and maximum was 10. A change in score was calculated by comparing the baseline score to after the 2 minute mood induction.

Participant subjective mood rating will be measured with a 10-point Likert visual analogue scale from not smiling to smiling.

Participants will be asked three questions on a 7-point Likert scale from 1 (not at all) to 7 (very much) about the difficulty, enjoyment, and helpfulness of the virtual reality or control condition technology. Higher scores indicate more endorsement of difficulty, enjoyment, or helpfulness. Minimum score was 1 and maximum score was 7. Individuals were given the measure once at the end of the study and reported score was utilized with no additional calculations.

The Net Promoter Score is a single question used to examine an individual's satisfaction with the company or service. Participants answered the question on an 11-point scale from 0 (not likely at all) to 10 (extremely likely), "how likely would you recommend the activity you did to a friend or colleague?". Participants completed the measure at the end of the study with a minimum score of 0 and maximum score of 10. Higher scores represent more endorsement and satisfaction with their experience. Individuals score was reported with no additional calculations.