Virtual worlds put to the test for older Adults' emotional Well-Being
NCT ID NCT07809581
First seen Sep 09, 2026 · Last updated Sep 10, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Researchers are designing three immersive virtual reality environments with input from older adults, including people in home care and residential centers. Participants view the environments through head-mounted displays and answer questionnaires about mood, immersion, and any discomfort. The study asks whether these personalized VR experiences can boost positive emotions and reduce negative ones.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- personalized immersive virtual reality environments delivered through head-mounted displays
- What this could lead to
- If it works, personalized VR environments could become a low-effort way to lift mood for older adults who have trouble leaving home or moving around.
- What could go wrong
- The study is small and early, so any mood boost may be brief or may not hold up in larger groups. Some people feel dizzy or queasy in VR, and the environments may not suit everyone.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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31 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Dec 2023
- Finished
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Apr 2024
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
This study was conducted in two phases. Phase I aimed to identify the characteristics of VR environments most closely associated with emotional well-being in adults requiring support with daily activities. Phase II was a proof-of-concept study with three aims: to examine short-term affective changes following exposure to the developed VR environments, to assess perceived presence, and to evaluate adverse VR sickness symptoms in older adults with support needs.
- Ages
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18 minutes and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Gender (preference for equality between men and women). * Users of the Home Care Service (SAD) and elderly people from the five residential centres. * Age (first phase over 18 years old and second phase over 65 years old). * Participation in this study was completely voluntary, and all participants signed an informed consent form before taking part in the research. Exclusion Criteria: * People who suffer from any anomaly in binocular or auditory vision. * People with physical or mental disabilities, or pre-existing psychiatric disorders, with serious medical conditions. * People who suffer from any cardiovascular disease are susceptible to being affected by HMD-VR technology. * People who suffer from symptoms related to epilepsy. * People who have any electronic device, such as a cardiac pacemaker or other implanted medical device susceptible to being altered by HMD-VR technology.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVIC-UCC)
Vic, Barcelona, 08500, Spain