Novel VR Intervention for Use in Psychiatric Inpatient Wards

The Codesign and Evaluation of a Novel Virtual Reality Intervention for Use in Psychiatric Inpatient Wards

The current study aims to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a VR app for use on inpatient psychiatric wards. The study will be completed in two stages.

Stage One is a co-design stage. A virtual reality hypnotherapy app that has been developed in collaboration with the company Phase Space, will be trialled with psychiatric inpatients. 16 patients and six staff members will be recruited at this stage. The first eight patients will test the headset and provide feedback. Based on this, the app will be modified by Phase Space and then trialled by an additional eight patients. Concurrently with the recruitment of the 16 patients, six staff members from the ward will be recruited to complete an interview about the feasibility and use of virtual reality headsets on the ward. The total feedback will be taken back to Phase Space who will further modify the app to then be implemented in the pilot stage.

Stage Two- Pilot stage. The Pilot stage will be held in the sensory rooms of two inpatient psychiatric wards. The recruitment period will last four weeks. During the four-week period, participants will have the option of attending a drop-in session held on their ward. The drop-in session will be held twice weekly for the four-week period and participants will be able to use the VR headset during this time period. They will be able to attend the drop-in session as frequently as they would like over the four week period, meaning that they have the ability to attend up to eight drop-in sessions. The new app will be piloted on sixteen inpatients to see if it is deemed acceptable and feasible for use on inpatient wards. the first use of the headset, as well as after four sessions (or earlier if the participant decides to end involvement before they reach four sessions). If a participant attends all eight sessions, they will complete the questionnaires again after the eighth session. Additionally, participants will complete the CR Comment Card before and after each use of the VR headset. Participants will also complete a short qualitative interview after their last session. The interview will comprise of asking participants to provide any feedback they have on the VR, as well as understanding more about how they could see the VR implemented into a ward setting.

Staff members will be recruited to assist in the running of the VR drop-in sessions. Staff will also be asked to provide any feedback on the sessions and observations of the sessions through a diary. At the end of the recruitment window, staff will also be asked to complete a short interview asking about topics such as any changes in participants' behaviour after the VR, logistical challenges around patients using the headsets, how the equipment was looked after and maintained, locations used for the VR and demands on staff time for the rollout.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Mental Health; Virtual Reality
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Virtual Reality Headset

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 43

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • London, United Kingdom
    • Springfield University Hospital, South West London & St. George's Mental Health NHS Trust

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The population in the study will include inpatients and staff from psychiatric inpatient wards.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Current inpatient or staff member on an inpatient psychiatric ward
• Capacity to consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Lacking capacity to provide consent
• History of seizures
• Has a pacemaker

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Participants from inpatient wards; This cohort will include patients and staff from inpatient psychiatric wards.	Device: Virtual Reality Headset; Participants will use either a Meta Quest VR device, or a Pico headset. Both of these devices are standard non-medical hardware items.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Acceptability of the virtual reality software	Acceptability of the virtual reality software will be measured through the feedback provided in the qualitative interviews with the participants.	through study completion, an average of 1 month

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Aileen O'Brien, South West London & St. George's Mental Health NHS Trust

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 21, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 23, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): March 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 18, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 31, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): April 8, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 1, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 31, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Personal Satisfaction; Psychological Well-Being
• Other Study ID Numbers: OBRA1004

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