None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Considering the dearth of research in VR augmented mindfulness in general, and in the use of VR for the management of pain, it is necessary first to trial the training in healthy controls. Therefore, the aim of this study is to generate data on the feasibility and acceptability of VR-augmented mindfulness. We will test the relative efficacy of VR-augmented mindfulness, compared to mindfulness without VR augmentation, an experience of the VR environment without the mindfulness instruction (VR only) and a natural history control (tested with no training). These conditions will be well matched in terms of using the same audiotape (mindfulness and VR-augmented mindfulness) and the same VR scenes (VR-augmented mindfulness and VR-only). This would allow us to generate data on the effect sizes of VR-augmented mindfulness vs mindfulness; and VR-augmented mindfulness vs VR-only on which to power a definitive clinical trial. We hypothesize that VR-augmented mindfulness will be acceptable, feasible and associated with larger effects than mindfulness alone, and that the VR-only group will find the condition credible, but less effective than the two active training groups.
Interventions
All participants will attend 1 session in the laboratory and will receive the interventions face-to-face. They will be randomised to 1 of 4 conditions.
Virtual reality (VR): Participants in the VR conditions will use ‘Oculus Quest’ VR goggles that display multiple relaxing scenes such as beaches or forests. Participants can choose which scene they prefer for the training. The VR only group will have the same VR scenes available as those in the VR-augmented mindfulness group but will not receiv
All participants will attend 1 session in the laboratory and will receive the interventions face-to-face. They will be randomised to 1 of 4 conditions. Virtual reality (VR): Participants in the VR conditions will use ‘Oculus Quest’ VR goggles that display multiple relaxing scenes such as beaches or forests. Participants can choose which scene they prefer for the training. The VR only group will have the same VR scenes available as those in the VR-augmented mindfulness group but will not receive mindfulness instructions. Instead, they will be instructed to focus on the relaxing scene and try to immerse themselves in it. Both conditions will be matched on time (i.e. 15 minutes). Mindfulness: The mindfulness instruction will be based on a guided mindfulness of breath and body scan instruction from mindfulness-based stress reduction (Kabat-Zinn, 2003), and will be pre-recorded for participants to listen to in session. The audio will be the same for the two mindfulness groups (VR and not VR) and will take approx. 15 minutes. VR-augmented Mindfulness: Participants will listen to the mindfulness audio whilst simultaneously viewing the relaxing scene of their choice with the VR goggles. During the final 5 minutes of the assigned intervention, participants will be asked to complete the cold pressor task, which involves placing their arm in a tank of cold water to assess for pain outcomes, such as threshold, tolerance and intensity.
Sponsors
School of Psychology, University of Sydney
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Factorial
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Participants must be pain-free, healthy adults (please see exclusion criteria) Fluency in English
Exclusion criteria
- History of a chronic pain problem - Recent (past 3 months) history of an acute pain condition - Medical condition contraindicated for the cold pressor (e.g. Reynaud’s, cardiac conditions) - Medical condition contraindicated for VR (e.g. increased risk of nausea, epilepsy, binocular visual abnormalities, inner ear infections or migraines) - Pregnancy
Outcome results
None listed