Embodied Empathy; Virtual Reality and Experiencing Geriatrics

NCT03987269 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: HM20015472
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 41
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The Embodied Empathy pilot study proposes to use VR technology to create original narratives of real life patients from their own perspectives for medical students to embody. Instead of using an animated avatar, researchers will use live-action first-person 220 degree video to capture these vignettes. In "Virtual Body Swap: A New Feasible Tool to Be Explored in Health and Education," Oliveria discusses the impact of using an actual person as an avatar as opposed to animation. "Many possibilities stem from the concept of body swapping. The relationship between individuals and their own bodies has implications on their ego and own personality. Feeling to be in another person's skin and controlling another body's movement, can facilitate the development of empathy, playing with one's ego and emotions. Such experiments could, for example, be used as a theme for discussion and behavioral changes related to issues such as racism, altruism, inclusion and anorexia, among others" (Oliveria, Bertrand, Lesur, Palomo, Demarzo, and Cebolla, 2016). Although the study will not focus on a true one-to-one body swap, as in BeAnotherLab's The Machine To Be Another, the assertion of a real person as an avatar is essential to our project.

Conditions

Empathy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Change in empathy

  Jefferson Scale of Empathy Questionnaire, Self administered Likert scale of 1-7 (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree)

  before intervention to 20 minutes

• Change in geriatric attitudes

  UCLA Geriatric Attitudes Scale, Self administered Likert scale of 1-7 (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree)

  before intervention to 20 minutes

• Change in embodiment

  VR Embodiment Scale, Self administered Likert scale of 1-7 (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree)

  before intervention to 20 minutes

Study Arms (2)

Intervention, Virtual Reality Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The intervention group to experience the virtual reality embodied narrative experience.

Behavioral: Embodied Virtual Reality

Control, Narrative Video Group

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

The control group to watch the same narrative video content that has been formatted for standard television

Behavioral: Narrative Video

Interventions

Embodied Virtual Reality BEHAVIORAL

The video will be formatted for viewing within a standard virtual reality headset. Once the video begins, subjects will follow the movements of the new body they are inhabiting in synchronicity to the video. Movement and haptic input include 1. Mimicking the hand gestures at the beginning in order to establish the body transfer illusion. 2. Shaking someone's hand 3. Someone holding the hand and elbow to assist them in standing, taking a few steps and returning to a seated position. 4. Shaking hands 5. Having their blood pressure taken 6. Having their pulse taken 7. Fill a pill organizer 8. Color a picture All of the above interactions will be facilitated by the two Co-PI's (Blatter, Ware). Blatter and Ware have been creating and performing similar Virtual Reality Embodiments with haptics for the past year, and to date, have performed hundreds of them for demos, colleagues, students and the public.

Intervention, Virtual Reality Group

Narrative Video BEHAVIORAL

The video will be formatted for a standard flat screen television. Participants will watch the video alone in a standard School of the Arts classroom.

Control, Narrative Video Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Generally healthy 1st year medical students

You may not qualify if:

• None

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Virginia Commonwealth University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, Virginia, 23284, United States

Location

Study Officials

• Jill B Ware, MFA

  Virginia Commonwealth University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• John H Blatter, MFA

  Virginia Commonwealth University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: One intervention group and one control group

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 11, 2019
• First Posted: June 17, 2019
• Study Start: April 19, 2019
• Primary Completion: May 12, 2019
• Study Completion: May 12, 2019
• Last Updated: June 18, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)