The use of virtual reality within adult psychiatric inpatient wards.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A feasibility study exploring the use of virtual reality field trip experiences within adult psychiatric inpatient settings.
IRAS ID
328613
Contact name
Saeed Farooq
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Individuals admitted to inpatient mental health settings experience unavoidable restrictions due to their mental and/or physical health to access the world outside the ward, including green spaces. Most also struggle with social isolation during their admissions and express experiencing low mood, and anxiety, whilst they present in crisis due to mental ill health.
Access to green spaces is well known to improve mental health providing the opportunity for psychological restoration and wellbeing. A Virtual Reality (VR) field trip experience physically transports the viewer to a variety of locations across the world and provides an opportunity to experience locations in 360 degrees as if there, without leaving their existing ‘physical environment’. Patients are encouraged during the VR sessions to be present in the moment and notice the variety of visual and auditory stimuli before them. The VR therapy sessions are also designed to promote social interactions, listening skills, additionally to encouraging discussions with other patients and facilitating staff around their shared experiences.
The proposed mixed methods feasibility study seeks to conduct user testing of virtual reality field trip experiences with patients admitted to adult and older adult inpatient mental health wards at a single mental health hospital in England. User testing will incorporate acceptability, usability, and implementation measures, and will provide an assessment of the practicality of conducting a larger scale research project in the future.REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Bradford Leeds Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/YH/0014
Date of REC Opinion
22 Jan 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion