Positive Youth Development in the Metaverse - a Pilot Study
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
This pilot study aims to leverage VR's capacity to easily replicate content and allow for multiple users to share the same space and engage in activities as if they're meeting in person. Integrating VR into afterschool programs will allow youth to receive more consistent programming content, even when they are unable to travel to the physical location for the in-person meetings.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
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N/A |
Detailed Description
This pilot study aims to leverage VR's capacity to easily replicate content and allow for multiple users to share the same space and engage in activities as if they're meeting in person. Integrating VR into afterschool programs will allow youth to receive more consistent programming content, even when they are unable to travel to the physical location for the in-person meetings. It will also empower youth to engage with the afterschool program at their own pace by providing a safe space to learn and practice their socioemotional skills. Implemented at scale, these benefits of a VR-integrated afterschool program will be able to address the issues of health inequity head on by expanding access to high quality afterschool content without incurring high operating costs. The results from this pilot study will provide a critical foundation to apply for an extramurally funded clinical trial to demonstrate the efficacy of a VR-integrated afterschool program on youth mental wellbeing.
Aim 1: Determine feasibility of a VR-integrated afterschool program where youth can access the VR content on their own at home.
Aim 2: Test the hypothesis that complementing the in-person afterschool program with VR will increase a) engagement and b) socioemotional competencies in youth.
Aim 3: Test the hypothesis that youth will demonstrate better mental wellbeing when the in-person afterschool program is complemented with VR.
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Experimental: Treatment In the treatment group, the child will receive the VR-based curriculum in addition to receiving the devices to use for 8 weeks. |
Behavioral: Virtual reality curriculum
Rather than rely on mere exposure to devices, participants in the treatment group will receive a curriculum that integrates the devices into traditional content delivered through the after school program.
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| Active Comparator: Control In the control group, the child will still receive the devices to use for 8 weeks, but will not have the VR-based curriculum. |
Behavioral: No Virtual reality curriculum
Children will be able to use the same devices but will not have access to a curriculum that integrates the devices with traditional content delivered through the after school program.
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Self-regulation [One-time assessment post-treatment (at 8 weeks)]
Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire-Revised ( 1-Almost always untrue, 2-Usually untrue, 3-Sometimes true, sometimes untrue, 4-Usually true, 5-Almost always true)
- Mental well-being [One-time assessment post-treatment (at 8 weeks)]
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Not true = 0, Somewhat true = 1, Certainly true = 2)
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Engagement [8 weeks]
Number of hours of programming delivered for both in-person and VR
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- All children enrolled in the Chess & Community program, between the ages of 9-17, and theirparent/primary caregiver.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Children who are unable to wear a VR headset will not be recruited.
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Athens Chess & Community | Athens | Georgia | United States | 30606 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- University of Georgia
Investigators
None specified.Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
None provided.- 00006669