Effect of an Immersive Virtual Reality Physical Intervention Program on Reaction Time in Secondary School Students: A Pilot Study

Официальное название

Analysis of the Effect of a Physical Intervention Program Developed in Immersive Virtual Reality Environments on Reaction Times in Compulsory Secondary Education Students: A Pilot Study

Обзор

The purpose of this pilot randomized controlled study is to evaluate the effects of an immersive virtual reality (IVR)-based physical intervention program on reaction time in secondary school students. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an experimental group, which will complete an immersive virtual reality training program using the Rezzil Player platform, or a control group that will continue their usual activities without virtual reality exposure. The intervention will be conducted over eight weeks and will include progressive reaction-based tasks performed in immersive virtual reality environments. Outcomes will be assessed before and after the intervention through visual and auditory reaction time tests and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), a validated measure of cognitive processing speed and attention. The study aims to determine whether immersive virtual reality training can improve reaction performance and cognitive processing in adolescents and provide preliminary evidence regarding its feasibility and effectiveness as an educational and physical training tool.

Подробное описание

Reaction time is a key component of motor performance and is closely associated with perceptual, cognitive, and decision-making processes. The ability to rapidly detect, process, and respond to external stimuli is particularly important during adolescence, a developmental stage characterized by significant cognitive and motor maturation. Emerging evidence suggests that immersive virtual reality (IVR) may provide an effective environment for training perceptual-motor skills due to its capacity to simulate dynamic and interactive scenarios while maintaining high levels of engagement and motivation.

Despite the increasing use of virtual reality in sport and physical activity settings, evidence regarding its effects on reaction time in adolescents remains limited. Therefore, this pilot study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of an immersive virtual reality-based intervention program in improving reaction times among secondary school students.

The study will employ a randomized controlled design. Participants will be secondary school students aged between 12 and 16 years. Following baseline assessments, participants will be randomly allocated to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group will complete an 8-week intervention consisting of immersive virtual reality sessions using the Rezzil Player application. Training tasks will require participants to identify and respond as quickly as possible to visual stimuli presented in virtual environments of increasing complexity and spatial demands. The control group will not participate in any virtual reality-related activity during the intervention period.

Outcome measures will be collected before and after the intervention. Primary outcomes will include visual reaction time, auditory reaction time, and cognitive processing speed assessed through the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). Secondary outcomes may include performance indicators related to physical and sport-specific activities. Safety and participant experience during the intervention will be monitored through validated questionnaires assessing simulator sickness symptoms and user experience.

The primary hypothesis is that participation in the immersive virtual reality intervention will improve reaction time performance and cognitive processing speed compared with the control condition. This pilot study will provide preliminary evidence regarding the feasibility, safety, and potential effectiveness of immersive virtual reality interventions for enhancing perceptual-motor performance in adolescents.

Вмешательства

• Поведенческое Immersive Virtual Reality Eye-Hand Coordination Training
  The intervention consisted of a structured eye-hand coordination training program delivered through immersive virtual reality using the Rezzil Player: MicroWall exergame and a Meta Quest 2 head-mounted display with handheld controllers. Participants completed one familiarization session followed by 13 training sessions over 8 weeks (two sessions per week). During each session, participants were required to identify and touch randomly appearing red visual targets as quickly as possible using the
• Поведенческое Usual Handball Training
  Participants continued their standard handball training routines under the supervision of their coaches according to normal club practice. No specific experimental intervention, placebo treatment, or virtual reality-based training was administered during the study period.

Первичные конечные точки

• Visual Reaction Time [Срок оценки: 8 weeks]
• Auditory Reaction Time [Срок оценки: 8 weeks]
• Cognitive Processing Speed [Срок оценки: 8 weeks]
• Tactical Effectiveness Index [Срок оценки: 8 weeks]

Вторичные конечные точки (2)

• Simulator Sickness Questionnaire [Срок оценки: 8 weeks]
• Game Experience Questionnaire - Post-Game Module [Срок оценки: 8 weeks]

Критерии участия

Критерии включения

• Being between 12 and 15 years of age
• Being a male handball player
• Having at least one year of handball experience
• Not participating in any other organized competitive sport.

Критерии исключения

-.The exclusion criteria included diagnosed neurological disorders, fear or intolerance of using virtual reality headsets, and diagnosed musculoskeletal disorders or injuries.

Критерии приведены из реестра в оригинале (на английском). Окончательную оценку соответствия проводит исследовательский центр.

Здоровые добровольцы: Нет

Дизайн исследования

Распределение

Рандомизированное

Модель

Параллельные группы

Маскирование

Четверное слепое

Основная цель

Лечение

Центры проведения

Испания · 1 центр

• Club de Balonmano Teucro — Pontevedra

Идентификаторы

NCT: NCT07655999 · CP-220126-14

Первоисточники (государственные реестры)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (NIH, США)

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