Randomized Control Pilot of Virtual Reality, Empathy, Knowledge, Emotions, and Self-Efficacy among Undergraduate Health Science Students

Abstract

Immersive, embodied virtual reality (VR) combines a head-mounted display with head and motion tracking systems, noise-cancelling headphones for sound, and a three-dimensional interaction scenario. VR can enable social work students to become fully immersed in a simulated realistic world to experience client scenarios. Scant research has been conducted on VR and undergraduate students; this study aimed to answer the research questions: 1) What is the feasibility and acceptability of virtual reality in a large, undergraduate class? and 2) Is virtual learning more effective than an active learning assignment on undergraduate students’ knowledge, empathy, emotions, and self-efficacy? A pilot randomized control pilot study was conducted with undergraduate students (N = 18) in an introductory course. Students were randomized to receive VR (intervention group) or an active learning assignment (control group) to learn about people with Alzheimer’s Disease, vision impairment, or end-of-life. VR was feasible and acceptable among students who commonly reported it as “cool”. The results found that students in the VR group reported more empathy for health conditions and poorer self-efficacy to support clients than the control groups. The reality that immersive VR enables has profound potential for preparing future health professionals to support clients with health conditions.