Effects of Virtual Reality and Stress Ball on Fear, Pain, Anxiety, and Satisfaction in Ureterorenoscopy Patients

February 3, 2026 updated by: Gamze BOZKUL, Tarsus University

Effect of Virtual Reality and Stress Ball Interventions on Procedure-Related Fear, Pain, Anxiety, and Patient Satisfaction in Patients Undergoing Ureterorenoscopy

This study aimed to determine the effects of virtual reality and stress ball interventions on procedure-related fear, anxiety, and patient satisfaction in patients undergoing ureterorenoscopy. The study is a prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial. The sample size was calculated to ensure sufficient statistical power to detect an effect size of Cohen's f = 0.333, considering α = 0.05, power (1-β) = 0.80, and number of groups = 3, resulting in 30 participants per group, for a total of 90 patients undergoing ureterorenoscopy.

Data will be collected using the "Demographic Information Form," "State Anxiety Inventory," "Procedure-Related Fear Scale," "Visual Analog Scale," and "Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Care Scale." Upon admission to the clinic for the procedure, all patients will complete the "Demographic Information Form," "State Anxiety Inventory," and "Procedure-Related Fear Scale" prior to the surgical intervention.

Patients in the virtual reality group will view nature scenes with relaxing music via a virtual reality headset in the clinic, with the sound level adjusted according to the patient's preference. Patients in the stress ball group will be instructed to squeeze the ball up to five counts every three counts. The control group will receive the routine pre-procedure procedures and standard care in the clinic.

After the procedure, when patients return to the clinic (and are in bed), the "State Anxiety Inventory," "Visual Analog Scale," and "Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Care Scale" will be administered. Data analysis will include descriptive statistics and appropriate parametric or non-parametric tests (t-test, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis). A p-value of <0.05 will be considered statistically significant in comparisons.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study aimed to determine the effects of virtual reality and stress ball interventions on procedure-related fear, anxiety, and patient satisfaction in patients undergoing ureterorenoscopy. The study is a prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial. The sample size was calculated to ensure sufficient statistical power to detect an effect size of Cohen's f = 0.333, considering α = 0.05, power (1-β) = 0.80, and number of groups = 3, resulting in 30 participants per group, for a total of 90 patients undergoing ureterorenoscopy. Data will be collected using the "Demographic Information Form," "State Anxiety Inventory," "Procedure-Related Fear Scale," "Visual Analog Scale," and "Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Care Scale." Upon admission to the clinic for the procedure, all patients will complete the "Demographic Information Form," "State Anxiety Inventory," and "Procedure-Related Fear Scale" prior to the surgical intervention.

Patients in the virtual reality group will view nature scenes with relaxing music via a virtual reality headset in the clinic, with the sound level adjusted according to the patient's preference. Patients in the stress ball group will be instructed to squeeze the ball up to five counts every three counts. The control group will receive the routine pre-procedure procedures and standard care in the clinic.

After the procedure, when patients return to the clinic (and are in bed), the "State Anxiety Inventory," "Visual Analog Scale," and "Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Care Scale" will be administered. The data will be analyzed using computer software. Patients' descriptive characteristics will be summarized as mean ± standard deviation, median (minimum-maximum), percentage, and frequency values. Qualitative data from the patient follow-up form will be categorized, converted into quantitative data, and presented as percentages and frequency distributions. After examining the normality of the data distribution, one-way analysis of variance (One-Way ANOVA) will be used to compare continuous variables showing a normal distribution among the three independent groups. For continuous variables that do not show a normal distribution, group comparisons will be performed using the Kruskal-Wallis H test. When a significant difference is found between groups, appropriate post-hoc analyses will be applied. The level of statistical significance will be set at p < 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
90

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • • Aged 18 years or older,

    • Scheduled for ureteroscopy (URS),
    • Fully conscious, oriented, and cooperative,
    • Provided written informed consent to participate in the study,
    • Able to speak and understand Turkish,
    • Without visual or hearing impairments,
    • No prior experience with virtual reality (VR),
    • Without any mental health disorders.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Those who do not wish to participate or who wish to withdraw from the study, • Patients with chronic pain.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Virtual reality group
Patients in the virtual reality (VR) study group will watch videos in the clinic using a virtual reality headset. Patients will be asked to lie in a supine position and wear a VR headset (Shinecon SC-G04E Virtual Reality Headset) compatible with Android smartphones, equipped with headphones that minimize sound loss. Through the VR headset, patients will be shown nature scenes with a relaxing music background, which can be adjusted to the patient's preferred volume. After each use, the VR headset will be disinfected according to the usage instructions.
Other: Virtual Reality
Patients in the virtual reality (VR) study group will watch videos in the clinic using a virtual reality headset. Patients will be asked to lie in a supine position and wear a VR headset (Shinecon SC-G04E Virtual Reality Headset) compatible with Android smartphones, equipped with headphones that minimize sound loss. Through the VR headset, patients will be shown nature scenes with a relaxing music background, which can be adjusted to the patient's preferred volume. After each use, the VR headset will be disinfected according to the usage instructions.
Experimental: Stress Ball Group
The stress ball group, patients were instructed on how to use the stress ball. After receiving the stress ball, they were asked to squeeze it up to five times every three counts. Patients were advised to continue using the stress ball until they left the clinic. Each stress ball was assigned to a single patient and not shared.
Other: Stress Ball
In the stress ball group, patients were instructed on how to use the stress ball. After receiving the stress ball, they were asked to squeeze it up to five times every three counts. Patients were advised to continue using the stress ball until they left the clinic. Each stress ball was assigned to a single patient and not shared.
No Intervention: Control group
In the control group, the routine pre-procedure procedures and standard clinical practices will be applied

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Anxiety
Time Frame: 6 months
The State Anxiety Scale : In this study, the DAQ, which is structured to measure momentary feelings, was used. Its Turkish validity and reliability was conducted by Öner and Le Compte in 1983. The DAQ consists of 20 questions on a four-point Likert scale. The statements in the DAQ are evaluated as not at all (1), a little (2), a lot (3) and completely (4). In this section, the statements are divided into direct and reversed statements. Inverted statements: 1st, 2nd, 5th, 5th, 8th, 8th, 10th, 11th, 15th, 16th, 19th, 20th items. The total score of the reversed statements is subtracted from the total score of the direct statements and the number 50, which is the invariant value of the DAQ, is added to the value obtained and the DAQ score is calculated. The scale score ranges between 20-80 and an increase in the score indicates an increase in the level of anxiety.
6 months
Procedure-Related Pain
Time Frame: 6 months
Visual Analog Scale: It is a scale that provides a subjective assessment of pain on a horizontal or vertical line from 0 (no pain at all)-10 (very severe pain) to evaluate the level of pain (Wewers and Lowe, 1990).
6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Fear
Time Frame: 6 months
Patients' fear will be assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 10; 0 represents "No fear at all," and 10 represents "Maximum fear." The minimum possible score is 0, and the maximum score is 10. Higher total scores indicate a higher level of fear experienced by the patient during or prior to the procedure.
6 months
Patient Satisfaction
Time Frame: 6 months
Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Care Scale: Developed by Thomas et al. (1996), the Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Care Scale (NSNS) is used to assess the quality of nursing care in hospitals. The scale was adapted into Turkish by Uzun in 2003, and its validity and reliability were evaluated by Akın and Erdoğan in 2007 (Akin & Erdogan, 2007). The scale consists of 19 items rated on a five-point Likert scale, with scores ranging from 1 (Not satisfied at all) to 5 (Very satisfied). The total score reflects the level of satisfaction with nursing care (minimum: 19, maximum: 95). In the original study, the reliability coefficient was 0.96, while in the Turkish adaptation it was 0.94, and 0.96 in the subsequent validity and reliability study.
6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Tarsus University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
February 2, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 15, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
November 24, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 24, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
December 5, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
February 5, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 3, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • TU-BOZKUL-013

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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