Virtual reality minimizes anxiety in children and adolescents with life-limiting conditions: a randomized controlled trial

The use of experiential virtual reality to minimize anxiety in children with life-limiting conditions: a randomized controlled trial

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN50308167

Enrollment

Registered

2025-01-08

Start date

2023-06-10

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2026-06-01

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Anxiety in pediatric patients with life-limiting conditions (hematology-oncology and gastroenterology outpatient clinics) Mental and Behavioural Disorders

Interventions

The study employs a randomized controlled trial design, integrating both between-subjects and within-subjects approaches to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a virtual reality distraction

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

10 Years to 17 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Sufficient level of contact with the environment and ability to cooperate 2. Fluency in Czech for both children and parents 3. Diagnosis of a life-threatening or life-limiting illness according to the internationally accepted list of palliative relevant diagnoses (Fraser et al., 2020) 4. Pediatric patients treated at University Hospital Motol

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Age below 10 or above 18 years 2. Unstable health status 3. Inability to speak Czech 4. Absence of parental consent for participation in the study

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Anxiety measured using the "Scale Measuring Anxiety in Children - Short Version" at pre-intervention and post-intervention stages for both VR and video groups. The same procedure was followed in both sessions.	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. Fear measured using the Children Fear Scale (CFS) and Child Medical Fear Scale (CMFS) at pre-intervention and post-intervention stages for both VR and video groups. The same procedure was followed in both sessions. 2. Pain measured using the Wong-Baker Faces Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at pre-intervention and post-intervention stages for both VR and video groups. The same procedure was followed in both sessions. 3. Cybersickness measured using the Simulation Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) at the post-intervention stage exclusively for the VR group. The same procedure was followed in both sessions. 4. Engagement, enjoyment, and immersion measured using a structured 4-point scale (0: not at all – 3: significantly) at the post-intervention stage for both VR and video groups. The same procedure was followed in both sessions. 5. Desire for distraction and perceived efficacy measured using a 5-point Likert scale (1: strongly agree – 5: strongly disagree) at the post-intervention stage for both VR and video groups. The same procedure was followed in both sessions.	—

Measure

Time frame

1. Fear measured using the Children Fear Scale (CFS) and Child Medical Fear Scale (CMFS) at pre-intervention and post-intervention stages for both VR and video groups. The same procedure was followed in both sessions. 2. Pain measured using the Wong-Baker Faces Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at pre-intervention and post-intervention stages for both VR and video groups. The same procedure was followed in both sessions. 3. Cybersickness measured using the Simulation Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) at the post-intervention stage exclusively for the VR group. The same procedure was followed in both sessions. 4. Engagement, enjoyment, and immersion measured using a structured 4-point scale (0: not at all – 3: significantly) at the post-intervention stage for both VR and video groups. The same procedure was followed in both sessions. 5. Desire for distraction and perceived efficacy measured using a 5-point Likert scale (1: strongly agree – 5: strongly disagree) at the post-intervention stage for both VR and video groups. The same procedure was followed in both sessions.

—

Countries

Czech Republic

Contacts

Public ContactAnna Zubková

anna.zubkova@nudz.cz+420 (0)608555964

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Jun 11, 2026