In Vitro Exposure by VR to Enhance Return to Work After Sick Leave Due to Mental Health Related Complaints

January 8, 2026 updated by: Roosmarijn Schelvis, Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA)
The goal of this pilot randomised controlled trial is to investigate whether in vitro exposure by VR enhances return to work (RTW) in flight cabin crew on sick leave with mental health related complaints. The main research questions are: 1. Does VR enhances time to RTW? 2. Does VR increase self-efficacy and positive cognitions regarding RTW, and decrease job anxiety? Researchers will compare a control group receiving care as usual as provided by the occupational physician and a psychologist to an intervention group receiving care as usual plus (al least) one session with VR-glasses in which participants are virtually exposed to their workplace.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study evaluates the effectiveness of in vitro exposure to the workplace by means of VR to decrease time to RTW of sick-listed flight cabin crew with mental health related complaints compared to usual care. The study design is a pilot randomized controlled trial, including an intervention and control group. Sick-listed workers in the control group receive care as usual from the occupational physician and a psychologist. Sick-listed workers in the intervention group receive care as usual from the occupational physician and a psychologist and participate in a VR-session. During the VR-session, guided by the psychologist, participants are virtually exposed to their workplace. Data on the primary outcome of RTW is collected based on the register data from the occupational health service (6 and 12 months after baseline). Data on secondary outcomes (self-efficacy, cognitions regarding RTW and job anxiety) is collected with baseline and follow-up questionnaires (4 months after baseline).

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

118

Phase

  • 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 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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

- sick listed cabin crew with mental health related complaints that are referred by the occupational physician to a specific psychotherapist practice

Exclusion Criteria:

  • epilepsy
  • vestibular disorder
  • no signed informed consent

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Care as usual plus VR
Participants in the intervention group receive care as usual from the occupational physician and a psychologist and participate (al least once) in a VR-session. During the VR-session, guided by the psychologist, participants are virtually exposed to their workplace.
Other: In vitro exposure to workplace by VR plus care as usual
During the VR-session, guided by the psychologist, participants are virtually exposed to their workplace using VR glasses. Based on the experience of the participants during the vitual visit to their workplace, the psychologist can adjust the therapy. In addition care as usual is provided (see description active comparator).
Active Comparator: Care as usual
Participants in the care as usual group receive care as usual from the occupational physician and a psychologist.
Other: Care as usual: Guidance from occupational physician and psychologist focused on returning to work
Guidance by the occupational physician and a psychologist from a psychologist practice specialized in counseling cabin crew and guiding them with returning to work.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Time to RTW
Time Frame: 6 months and 12 months after baseline
Time between start of sickness absence until participant is considered 'fit to fly' by the occupational physician, measured by register data from the occupational health service.
6 months and 12 months after baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Stress-related complaints
Time Frame: Baseline and 4-months follow-up
Stress-related complaints (e.g., type of disease, severity of symptoms) by means of Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). The PSS-10 consists of 10 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (never) to 4 (very often). A high score means more stress-related complaints
Baseline and 4-months follow-up
Self-efficacy regarding return to work
Time Frame: Baseline and 4-months follow-up
Self-efficacy regarding return to work measured by Return-to-Work Self-Efficacy scale (RTW-SE). The RTW-SE contains of 11 items. The items are rated on a five point scale The response categories vary from 1 (totally disagree) to 6 (totally agree). A high score means more return to work self-efficacy
Baseline and 4-months follow-up
Attitude regarding return to work
Time Frame: Baseline and 4-months follow-up
Scale on attitude regarding return to work. Attitude regarding return to work is measured with a 8-item scale measuring the attitude towards working again. The items are rated on a 4-point scale ranging from 1 (disagree very strongly) to 4 (agree very strongly). A higher score means a more positive attitude towards return to work.
Baseline and 4-months follow-up
Job anxiety
Time Frame: Baseline and 4-months follow-up
Anxiety related to the job measured by the Job Anxiety Scale. The items are rated on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from of 0 (no agreement) to 4 (full agreement). A higher score means more job anxiety.
Baseline and 4-months follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA)

Collaborators

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
KLM Health Services
Villa Uitzicht

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Roosmarijn M.C. Schelvis, PhD, Amsterdam UMC

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)

November 17, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

November 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

March 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 20, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 20, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

March 21, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

January 9, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 8, 2026

Last Verified

January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2025.0183

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

We will not publish the complete dataset to protect the privacy of the participants.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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