Active Shooter, Acute Stress Reaction, Law Enforcement Training, Stress, Virtual Reality
Conditions
Keywords
Stress, Stress biomarkers, Salivary Alpha-Amylase (sAA), Salivary Secretory Immunoglobulin A (SIgA), Acute stress, State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) scale, Active shooter, Virtual Reality (VR) training, Law enforcement training, Target practice
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to examine whether repeated exposure to an active shooter or target practice virtual reality (VR) scenario alters physiological and psychological stress responses over time. Specifically, this study will determine whether the pattern and magnitude of stress habituation differ between the two VR conditions.
Detailed description
This study examines the effects of repeated virtual reality (VR) exposure on physiological and psychological stress responses by comparing an active shooter scenario with a target practice scenario. Repeated exposure to a stressor may result in changes in physiological and psychological responses over time, a process known as stress habituation. Therefore, the goal of this study is to determine whether repeated exposure to these two VR scenarios results in different patterns of stress habituation. Heart rate, salivary stress biomarkers, and self-reported anxiety will be assessed across repeated VR exposures to evaluate changes in stress responses over time. The findings from this research may provide insight into how stress responses change with repeated exposure to different types of VR scenarios and may inform the development of training approaches for individuals in high-stress occupations.
Interventions
OTHERActive Shooter
Participants experienced a virtual reality simulation lasting \~3 minutes. Participants took on the roll of a law enforcement officer responding to an active shooter situation in a gas station (trial 1), home (trial 2), and school (trial 3).
OTHERTarget Practice
Participants experienced a virtual reality simulation lasting \~3 minutes. Participants had two trials of target practice training and one trial of an active shooter scenario where they responded as a law enforcement officer in a school.
Sponsors
Texas State University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Intervention model description
Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups, active shooter (AS) or target practice (TP).
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 39 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Generally healthy * Between the ages of 18-39 * Student at texas state
Exclusion criteria
* No known cardiovascular or metabolic diseases * Free from a major stressor in the last 30 days (recent divorce, birth of child, miscarriage, etc.) * Not currently taking medication that can impact results (e.g., psychiatric medication typically prescribed for psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, etc.) * Must also be free from any known psychiatric or physical illness (e.g., diabetes, myocardial infarction, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, alcoholism, epilepsy, severe motion sickness, etc.).
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) | Timepoint 1-4 were 20 minutes pre, immediately pre, immediately post, and 15 minutes post | The SAI is a 6 question survey on a 24 point scale, asking the subject to record how they feel. Questions asked were "I am calm," I am tense," "I am worried," "I am relaxed," etc. Subjects were asked to fill this out 4 times throughout the study, alongside HR and saliva samples. |
| Heart Rate | HR was recorded 4 times, before each saliva sample period | Heart rate was recorded immediately prior to each saliva sample using a Polar Verity Sense heart rate wrist/arm strap. |
| Secretory Immunoglobulin-A | Measured using the saliva samples taken at timepoints 1-4 (20 min pre, immediately pre, immediately post, 15 min post) | SIgA is a marker of immune function and salivary SIgA concentrations tend to increase when exposed to stress |
| Salivary Alpha Amylase | Measured using the saliva samples taken at timepoints 1-4 (20 min pre, immediately pre, immediately post, 15 min post) | sAA is an enzyme involved in digestive processes. Amylase concentrations in saliva have been shown to reflect sympathetic stress. Thus, as sympathetic stress increases, salivary amylase concentrations tend to increase. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed