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Virtual Reality Viewing of Unaltered Streetscape Versus Digitally Manipulated Opposite Streetscape to Assess Psychosocial Response in Participants

Piloting a Virtual Reality-Based, Randomized Controlled Trial of Psychosocial Responses to Neighborhood Physical Disorder

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07216534
Enrollment
32
Registered
2025-10-14
Start date
2026-09-01
Completion date
2026-12-31
Last updated
2026-06-22

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

Conditions

Hematopoietic and Lymphatic System Neoplasm, Malignant Solid Neoplasm, Psychiatric Disorder

Brief summary

This clinical trial compares virtual reality viewing of an unaltered streetscape versus a digitally manipulated opposite streetscape to assess the psychosocial response in participants. Visible measures of neighborhood factors might be associated with health outcomes and risk factors of those outcomes. Short-term exposure to virtual reality environments representing very high or very low levels of neighborhood physical disorder - presence or absence of garbage/litter, presence or absence of graffiti, presence or absence of an abandoned building, presence or absence of large dumpsters, poor or very well-kept building conditions, poor or very well-kept yard conditions, poor or very well-kept road verge conditions may be a safe and effective way to assess psychosocial response in participants.

Detailed description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. Compare sympathetic autonomic measures (heart rate variability and skin conductance) between participants viewing, in virtual reality, their streetscape as a digitally manipulated opposite version with respect to physical disorder indicators versus participants viewing their streetscape as a digital twin with respect to physical disorder indicators. II. Compare self-report measures (Self-Assessment Manikin and state anxiety ratings) between participants viewing, in virtual reality, their streetscape as a digitally manipulated opposite version with respect to physical disorder indicators versus participants viewing their streetscape as a digital twin with respect to physical disorder indicators. III. Record side effects of interacting within a virtual reality environment over short periods of time (3-5 min): IIIa. Quantify frequency of side effects; IIIb. Explore whether side effects increase across subsequent VR sessions of the cross-over study; IIIc. Explore whether side effects vary by VR intervention arm (digital twin of own streetscape or digitally manipulated opposite indicators of physical disorder of own streetscape). IV. Analyze impact of covariates on study outcomes. EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES: I. Compare eye gaze density between participants viewing, in virtual reality, their streetscape as a digitally manipulated opposite version with respect to physical disorder indicators versus participants viewing their streetscape as a digital twin with respect to physical disorder indicators. II. Compare self-report measures (neighborhood social cohesion and neighborhood disorder) between participants viewing, in virtual reality, their streetscape as a digitally manipulated opposite version with respect to physical disorder indicators versus participants viewing their streetscape as a digital twin with respect to physical disorder indicators. OUTLINE: Participants are randomized within their residing neighborhood to 1 of 2 arms. ARM I: Participants have their streetscape photographed. Participants view a standard residential streetscape using virtual reality (VR) for up to 5 minutes. Patients then view a digital twin of their streetscape with identical physical disorder using VR for up to 5 minutes followed by viewing their streetscape with the opposite physical disorder using VR for up to 5 minutes. ARM II: Participants have their streetscape photographed. Participants view a standard residential streetscape using VR for up to 5 minutes. Patients then view their streetscape with the opposite physical disorder using VR for up to 5 minutes followed by viewing a digital twin of their streetscape with identical physical disorder using VR for up to 5 minutes.

Interventions

OTHERSurvey Administration

Ancillary studies

View standard streetscape

Sponsors

Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Adults 18+ * Must currently live (4+ night/week) at the residence being studied. Only one resident per household will be selected * Must understand and be able to read English * Must agree to have residence photographed * Must be able to wear a VR head mounted display * Must live in neighborhood that has been selected for study * Must be willing and able to attend an approximately 2 hour in-person visit on Ohio State University (OSU) campus

Exclusion criteria

* Pregnant women * Visual or mobility impairment * Cannot have epilepsy or other condition that would inhibit them from being able to use a VR headset

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in heart rate variabilityFrom baseline to completion of virtual reality (VR) viewings, up to 1 dayMean heart rate variability over the entire session of each VR condition will be calculated from electrocardiograph data. Will compare the difference between two VR conditions (viewing opposite neighborhood image versus viewing twin neighborhood image) using a crossover design. Analyses of outcomes will be conducted using generalized linear mixed model approaches.
Change in skin conductanceFrom baseline to completion of VR viewings, up to 1 daySkin conductance, measured as microsiemens, will be calculated as the mean value over each VR condition. Will compare the difference between two VR conditions (viewing opposite neighborhood image versus viewing twin neighborhood image) using a crossover design. Analyses of outcomes will be conducted using generalized linear mixed model approaches.
Affective reactionAfter completion of VR viewings, up to 1 dayAssessed via Self-assessment Manikin. Will compare the difference between two VR conditions (viewing opposite neighborhood image versus viewing twin neighborhood image) using a crossover design. Analyses of outcomes will be conducted using generalized linear mixed model approaches.
AnxietyAfter completion of VR viewings, up to 1 dayAssessed via Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory short form. Will compare the difference between two VR conditions (viewing opposite neighborhood image versus viewing twin neighborhood image) using a crossover design. Analyses of outcomes will be conducted using generalized linear mixed model approaches.
Participant reported discomfortAfter completion of VR viewings, up to 1 dayThis is an open-ended outcome measure. Discomfort reported by participants will be recorded by study staff.

Countries

United States

Contacts

CONTACTThe Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
OSUCCCClinicaltrials@osumc.edu800-293-5066
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORJesse Plascak, PhD, MPH

Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jun 23, 2026