scholarly journals Virtual reality is a feasible intervention platform in multiple sclerosis: A pilot protocol and acute improvements in affect

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 205521732110061
Author(s):  
Michael T. Shaw ◽  
Maria J. Palmeri ◽  
Martin Malik ◽  
Bryan Dobbs ◽  
Leigh E. Charvet
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Symptom Burden ◽  
Emerging Technology ◽  
Daily Functioning ◽  
Age Range

Background People living with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience a high symptom burden that interferes with daily functioning. Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology with a range of potential therapeutic applications that may include ameliorating the experience of some common MS symptoms. Objective We tested the feasibility and tolerability of a VR intervention and its preliminary effects on affect. Methods Participants with MS were recruited to complete a pilot study of eight sessions of VR over four weeks. Results A total of n = 16 participants with MS completed the study (age range: 28–63). Feasibility goals were met with 100% of the sample completing at least n = 4/8 of their intervention sessions, with a total of 119/128 (93%) completed sessions. Two of the n = 16 participants experienced brief adverse events (balance, vertigo) but these resolved with headset removal and were not otherwise treatment limiting. There was a preliminary indication of overall improved affect from baseline to intervention end, with significantly improved positive affect ( t(15) = −3.19, p = 0.006) and decreased negative affect ( t(15) = 2.25, p = 0.040). Conclusion VR interventions are feasible, safe, and tolerable for individuals living with MS and may improve affect.

scholarly journals Virtual Reality Reward Training for Anhedonia: A Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly Chen ◽  
Nora Barnes-Horowitz ◽  
Michael Treanor ◽  
Michael Sun ◽  
Katherine S. Young ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Psychological Therapies ◽  
Significant Depression ◽  
Poor Treatment ◽  
Clinically Significant

Anhedonia is a risk factor for suicide and poor treatment response in depressed individuals. Most evidence-based psychological therapies target symptoms of heightened negative affect (e.g., negative inferential style) instead of deficits in positive affect (e.g., attenuated reward response) and typically show little benefit for anhedonia. Viewing positive scenes through virtual reality (VR) has been shown to increase positive affect and holds great promise for addressing anhedonic symptoms. In this pilot study, six participants with clinically significant depression completed 13 sessions of exposure to positive scenes in a controlled VR environment. Significant decreases were found in self-reported anhedonia, depression, anxiety, and impairments in functioning from baseline to 1-month follow-up. Negative affect decreased over all 13 sessions, and positive affect increased over sessions 8–13. Results suggest that positive experiences in VR may be a novel avenue for the treatment of anhedonia in depressed individuals.

Stop and Start Control: A Distinction within Self–Control

2011 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 349-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin J. de Boer ◽  
Edwin A. J. van Hooft ◽  
Arnold B. Bakker
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Factor Analyses ◽  
Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽  
Student Sample ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Expert Ratings

A theoretical distinction within self–control, between stop control and start control, was investigated in two studies. Study 1 consisted of a pilot study in which expert ratings of existing self–control items were used to distinguish between stop and start control items and a confirmatory factor analyses of these items using a student sample ( N = 474). Also, stop and start control were related to overall affect and behavioural outcomes. Stop control was negatively related to negative affect, whereas start control was positively related to positive affect. Study 2 ( N = 226) replicated some of these findings; stop control was the best predictor (−) of smoking and alcohol consumption whereas start control was the best predictor (+) of exercising and studying. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

scholarly journals The Usability Testing of VR Interface for Tourism Apps

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (16) ◽  
pp. 3215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Min Fang ◽  
Chun Lin
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Emerging Technology ◽  
Feedback Mode ◽  
Efficient Verification ◽  
First Time ◽  
Formal Experiment

Virtual reality (VR) is considered to be an emerging technology. This study compared the usability differences of VR travel software, such as Google Street View, VeeR VR, and Sites in VR, for mobile phones. In the pilot study, three post-graduate students and one interface expert were invited to participate in the designed experimental tasks to provide opinions on the first draft of the questionnaire. Next, thirty college students were recruited to join the formal experiment. After operating the VR interface, they were asked to fill out the questionnaire, and a semi-structured interview was conducted. The results are described as follows: (1) Intuitive operation is required to allow people to select objects smoothly; (2) the chosen object requires a feedback mode to inform the user that the object has been selected; (3) the speed of the feedback mode should be adjustable to fulfil the needs of most people; (4) the contrast of icon color needs to be improved to ensure the most efficient verification of the operations; and (5) a search button or reminder function can be added to aid first-time users.

Social and Temporal Comparisons as Moderators of Psychological Resources Associations With Wellbeing

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasida Ben-Zur
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Subjective Wellbeing ◽  
Social Comparisons ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Psychological Resources ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Age Range ◽  
General Wellbeing

Abstract. The current study investigated the associations of psychological resources, social comparisons, and temporal comparisons with general wellbeing. The sample included 142 community participants (47.9% men; age range 23–83 years), who compared themselves with others, and with their younger selves, on eight dimensions (e.g., physical health, resilience). They also completed questionnaires assessing psychological resources of mastery and self-esteem, and three components of subjective wellbeing: life satisfaction and negative and positive affect. The main results showed that high levels of psychological resources contributed to wellbeing, with self-enhancing social and temporal comparisons moderating the effects of resources on certain wellbeing components. Specifically, under low levels of mastery or self-esteem self-enhancing social or temporal comparisons were related to either higher life satisfaction or positive affect. The results highlight the role of resources and comparisons in promoting people’s wellbeing, and suggest that self-enhancing comparisons function as cognitive coping mechanisms when psychological resources are low.

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