Effects of VR and MR Exergaming on Mood and Executive Function During Workplace Microbreaks

The Effects of Virtual and Mixed Reality Exergaming on Mood and Executive Functioning During Micro Breaks at Work: A Randomized Crossover Trial

This study aims to evaluate the effects of virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) exergaming interventions during workplace microbreaks on mood and executive functions. A crossover experimental design will be implemented with desk-based administrative employees. Participants will be randomly assigned to three conditions: VR exergaming, MR exergaming, and passive rest. Executive functions will be assessed using the PEBL Victoria Stroop Test, and mood state will be evaluated with the Positive Affect Subscale of PANAS (PA-PANAS). Secondary measures include heart rate, perceived exertion, and exercise adherence intention.The study will address the following research questions:

How do VR and MR exergames influence executive functions compared to passive rest? How do VR and MR exergames affect mood states in workers compared to passive rest? How do VR and MR exergames compare in terms of heart rate response and perceived exertion during workplace microbreaks? How do VR and MR exergames impact exercise enjoyment and the intention to continue exergaming?

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Exergame; Active Video Games (AVG); Executive Function (Cognition); Mood State
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Experimental; Other: Experimental

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 28
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Antalya
    • Konyaalti, Antalya, Turkey (Türkiye), 07070
      • Akdeniz University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged 18 years and older
• No regular physical exercise in the last three months (less than three days per week, less than 30 minutes per session)
• No prior experience with VR/MR technologies
• No history of neurological or cardiovascular disorders
• No epilepsy, vertigo, or inner ear conditions
• No use of medications affecting the central nervous system
• Low or moderate physical activity levels, as assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)
• Cleared for physical activity based on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q)

Exclusion Criteria:

• High physical activity levels as indicated by the IPAQ
• Not meeting the safety criteria for physical activity according to the PAR-Q
• Individuals experiencing dizziness, nausea, or discomfort while using VR/MR
• Vision impairments that prevent the use of VR/MR headsets
• Pregnant individuals

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: VR EXERGAME; Participants will engage in a Virtual Reality (VR)-based exergame session using the PowerBeatsVR application. The session will include rhythm-based exercises, such as punching targets and dodging obstacles, aimed at promoting physical activity during a short break in the workplace.	Other: Experimental; Virtual Reality Exergame (VR) Participants will engage in a 5-minute fully immersive Virtual Reality (VR) exergame session using the PowerBeatsVR application. This intervention takes place in a virtual environment where participants perform rhythm-based physical activities such as punching targets and dodging obstacles. The VR session isolates participants from their real-world surroundings, offering a highly immersive experience designed to promote physical activity and assess its physiological and psychological effects.; Other Names: VR EXERGAME; Other: Experimental; Mixed Reality Exergame (MR) Participants will engage in a 5-minute Mixed Reality (MR) exergame session using PowerBeatsVR in MR mode. Unlike VR, this intervention integrates virtual elements into the real-world environment, allowing participants to maintain awareness of their physical surroundings while interacting with digital content. This hybrid experience reduces the risk of cybersickness while providing a practical approach for workplace settings.; Other Names: MR EXERGAME
Experimental: MR EXERGAME; Participants will engage in a Mixed Reality (MR)-based exergame session using the PowerBeatsVR application in MR mode. This condition allows participants to interact with virtual elements while maintaining awareness of their physical surroundings.	Other: Experimental; Virtual Reality Exergame (VR) Participants will engage in a 5-minute fully immersive Virtual Reality (VR) exergame session using the PowerBeatsVR application. This intervention takes place in a virtual environment where participants perform rhythm-based physical activities such as punching targets and dodging obstacles. The VR session isolates participants from their real-world surroundings, offering a highly immersive experience designed to promote physical activity and assess its physiological and psychological effects.; Other Names: VR EXERGAME; Other: Experimental; Mixed Reality Exergame (MR) Participants will engage in a 5-minute Mixed Reality (MR) exergame session using PowerBeatsVR in MR mode. Unlike VR, this intervention integrates virtual elements into the real-world environment, allowing participants to maintain awareness of their physical surroundings while interacting with digital content. This hybrid experience reduces the risk of cybersickness while providing a practical approach for workplace settings.; Other Names: MR EXERGAME
No Intervention: REST; Participants will remain seated in a quiet room for the same duration as the VR and MR sessions. During this time, they will be asked to rest without engaging in any physical activity. Talking, using mobile devices, or interacting with others will not be allowed to ensure a consistent resting condition across participants.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Executive Functions	Executive functions will be assessed using the PEBL Victoria Stroop Test. This test evaluates cognitive control, reaction time, and error rates in different experimental conditions. To eliminate learning effects, each participant will complete two practice trials before the experimental session. The test consists of three phases (1. Neutral words (words without color conflict), 2. Congruent words (words where the meaning matches the text color), 3.Incongruent words (words where the meaning differs from the text color). Participants will be instructed to identify the color of the word as quickly and accurately as possible. Reaction times (in milliseconds) and error rates will be recorded.	Baseline and immediately post-intervention (within 5 minutes after the session
Mood State	Participants' mood states will be assessed using the Positive Affect subscale of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). PANAS is a widely used self-report instrument designed to measure two distinct dimensions of affective states: Positive Affect (PA) and Negative Affect (NA). However, in this study, only the PA subscale will be utilized. This decision is based on the study's focus on the short-term affective benefits of VR and MR exercise, as physical activity is predominantly linked to improvements in positive emotions rather than significant reductions in negative affect. Additionally, since negative emotions may not exhibit substantial changes in a single-session exercise context, analyzing only positive affect provides a clearer understanding of the intervention's psychological benefits.	Baseline and immediately post-intervention (within 5 minutes after the session)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Heart Rate	Heart rate will be measured using a Polar H10 chest strap sensor at two time points: pre-exercise and during the session. All HR data will be recorded in real time via the Polar Flow application. The HR measurements will be used to assess the physiological load of the exercise and compare differences across conditions.	Baseline and during intervention
Perceived Exertion	Subjective physical exertion will be evaluated using the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale (6-20) before and after each session. This scale measures subjective physical effort perception and is widely used for assessing exercise intensity.	Baseline and immediately post-intervention (within 5 minutes after the session)
Intention to Continue	Participants' intention to engage in VR and MR-based exercise in the future will be measured using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = Not at all likely, 7 = Definitely will repeat). Higher scores indicate a stronger intention to continue using VR/MR-based exercise programs in the future. This outcome will help determine the long-term engagement potential of immersive exercise formats.	Immediately post-intervention (within 5 minutes after the session)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Akdeniz University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 10, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 11, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): June 11, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 17, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 17, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): March 21, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): September 17, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 16, 2025
• Last Verified: September 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 06032025-05-118

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
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No