SafeSpace
Research type
Research Study
Full title
SafeSpace: developing a calming, healing virtual reality environment.
IRAS ID
241770
Contact name
Theresa Wiseman
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 30 days
Research summary
The aim of the research is to co-develop (with patients) and test a virtual reality intervention using a readily available low cost virtual reality headset and smartphone. The aim of this intervention is to enable people with cancer to experience a rapid reduction in stress and improved feelings of wellbeing and inner peace. In addition to being able to enter and immerse themselves in high quality peaceful, calm environments, people with cancer will be able to access a series of guided exercises to help them cultivate and experience self-compassion, which is known to be associated with several therapeutic effects.
This is important because many people with cancer experience poor psychological wellbeing including increased levels of stress, anxiety, depression, guilt, anger, and other unwanted emotional states. Apart from being unpleasant, these states can contribute to poor engagement with therapy, poor lifestyle choices and a worsening of important relationships.
The research plan involves working with people with cancer to design, create and test the intervention, with an initial co design workshop and 3 or 4 cycles of testing and improvement. Once a high enough quality version has been developed we will conduct research into the impact of the intervention and experience on the psychological wellbeing and stress levels of people with cancer. Once this project has been completed we will be a very good position to progress to a full randomised clinical trial of the intervention.
The anticipated impact of the study findings for people affected by cancer include thousands of people affected by cancer having rapid access to high quality, calm, soothing virtual environments and quality controlled psychological exercises and activities likely to be associated with reduce stress levels, reduced levels of emotions such as anxiety, depression, shame and guilt, and improved levels of psychological wellbeing, inner peace, quality of life and life functioning.
REC name
South Central - Oxford B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/SC/0346
Date of REC Opinion
17 Jul 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion