In Vitro Exposure by VR to Enhance Return to Work After Sick Leave Due to Mental Health Related Complaints

NCT06888999 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2025.0183
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 118
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this pilot randomised controlled trial is to investigate whether in vitro exposure by VR enhances return to work (RTW) in flight cabin crew on sick leave with mental health related complaints. The main research questions are: 1. Does VR enhances time to RTW? 2. Does VR increase self-efficacy and positive cognitions regarding RTW, and decrease job anxiety? Researchers will compare a control group receiving care as usual as provided by the occupational physician and a psychologist to an intervention group receiving care as usual plus (al least) one session with VR-glasses in which participants are virtually exposed to their workplace.

Conditions

Occupational Stress; Self-Efficacy; Return to Work

Keywords

virtual reality; return to work; pilot randomized controlled trial; cabin crew; stress; return to work self-efficacy; job anxiety; usability; return to work attitude

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Time to RTW

  Time between start of sickness absence until participant is considered 'fit to fly' by the occupational physician, measured by register data from the occupational health service.

  6 months and 12 months after baseline

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Stress-related complaints

  Baseline and 4-months follow-up

• Self-efficacy regarding return to work

  Baseline and 4-months follow-up

• Attitude regarding return to work

  Baseline and 4-months follow-up

• Job anxiety

  Baseline and 4-months follow-up

Study Arms (2)

Care as usual plus VR

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the intervention group receive care as usual from the occupational physician and a psychologist and participate (al least once) in a VR-session. During the VR-session, guided by the psychologist, participants are virtually exposed to their workplace.

Other: In vitro exposure to workplace by VR plus care as usual

Care as usual

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants in the care as usual group receive care as usual from the occupational physician and a psychologist.

Other: Care as usual: Guidance from occupational physician and psychologist focused on returning to work

Interventions

In vitro exposure to workplace by VR plus care as usual OTHER

During the VR-session, guided by the psychologist, participants are virtually exposed to their workplace using VR glasses. Based on the experience of the participants during the vitual visit to their workplace, the psychologist can adjust the therapy. In addition care as usual is provided (see description active comparator).

Care as usual plus VR

Care as usual: Guidance from occupational physician and psychologist focused on returning to work OTHER

Guidance by the occupational physician and a psychologist from a psychologist practice specialized in counseling cabin crew and guiding them with returning to work.

Care as usual

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• \- sick listed cabin crew with mental health related complaints that are referred by the occupational physician to a specific psychotherapist practice

You may not qualify if:

• epilepsy
• vestibular disorder
• no signed informed consent

Sponsors & Collaborators

• KLM Health Services: collaborator
• Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA): lead
• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines: collaborator
• Villa Uitzicht: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

KLM Health Services

Schiphol, 1117 CJ, Netherlands

RECRUITING

Related Publications (3)

• Schmalbach I, Schmalbach B, Kalkbrenner A, Bassler M, Hinz A, Petrowski K. Psychometric properties of the job anxiety scale. Front Psychol. 2023 Apr 25;14:1020596. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1020596. eCollection 2023.

  PMID: 37179888 BACKGROUND

• Muschalla B, Linden M, Olbrich D. The relationship between job-anxiety and trait-anxiety--a differential diagnostic investigation with the Job-Anxiety-Scale and the State-Trait-Anxiety-Inventory. J Anxiety Disord. 2010 Apr;24(3):366-71. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2010.02.001. Epub 2010 Feb 11.

  PMID: 20207103 BACKGROUND

• Cohen S, Kamarck T, Mermelstein R. A global measure of perceived stress. J Health Soc Behav. 1983 Dec;24(4):385-96. No abstract available.

  PMID: 6668417 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Occupational Stress

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Occupational Diseases; Stress, Psychological; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• Roosmarijn M.C. Schelvis, PhD

  Amsterdam UMC

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Maartje C. Bakhuys Roozeboom, PhD

CONTACT

0031619352778; m.c.bakhuysroozeboom@amsterdamumc.nl

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: Due to the intervention, it is not possible to blind researchers, case provides, investigators and participants.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: Randomized controlled trial comparing an intervention group with a care as usual group. Randomization is carried out at the individual level.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 20, 2025
• First Posted: March 21, 2025
• Study Start: November 17, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2027
• Last Updated: January 9, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

NL (1)