A Randomized Controlled Trial of a VR Social Music-Movement Exergame for Depression and Anxiety in Young Adults (VR-MOVE)

March 15, 2026 updated by: Guangzheng Wan, Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Virtual Reality Music-Movement Exergaming Intervention to Enhance Social Connectedness and Well-being in Adolescents and Young Adults

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR) music-movement exergaming intervention for improving social connectedness and psychological well-being among young adults. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) a VR social music-movement exergame group, (2) a VR solo exergame group without social interaction, and (3) a waitlist control group. The intervention integrates rhythmic movement, music-based interaction, and immersive VR environments to promote engagement and social connection. Primary outcomes include changes in depressive symptoms, anxiety, and social connectedness. Secondary outcomes include psychological need satisfaction and physical fitness indicators. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. The study will provide evidence on the potential benefits of immersive VR-based exergaming interventions for mental health and social well-being in young adults.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study is a randomized controlled trial designed to examine the effects of a virtual reality (VR) music-movement exergaming intervention on social connectedness and psychological well-being in young adults. Participants aged 18-25 years will be recruited and randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) a VR social music-movement exergame group that allows interaction with peers in a shared virtual environment, (2) a VR solo exergame group with identical physical activity and music elements but without social interaction, and (3) a waitlist control group receiving a digital health handbook.

The intervention integrates rhythmic body movement, music-based interaction, and immersive VR environments to enhance engagement and psychological need satisfaction. The theoretical framework of the study is informed by Self-Determination Theory, focusing on the roles of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in promoting mental well-being.

Primary outcomes include depressive symptoms, anxiety levels, and perceived social connectedness. Secondary outcomes include psychological need satisfaction and physical fitness indicators. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), and one-month follow-up (T2).

The results of this trial are expected to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of VR-based exergaming interventions for promoting mental health and social well-being in young adults.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

130

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

  • Name: GuangZheng Wan, MS
  • Phone Number: +86 19174157124
  • Email: wancso@qq.com

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

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Aged 18 to 25 years
  • Meeting criteria for mild to moderate depression (BDI-II score 14-28) or anxiety (BAI score 8-25)
  • Able to understand the study procedures and provide informed consent
  • Willing to participate in the VR intervention and complete all assessments

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of severe mental illness (e.g., psychosis or severe psychiatric disorders)

    • Severe motion sickness or intolerance to virtual reality
    • Currently receiving structured psychotherapy or psychological intervention
    • Any medical condition that would prevent safe participation in moderate physical activity

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: VR Social Music-Movement Exergame
Participants assigned to this arm will engage in a virtual reality (VR) music-movement exergaming program that integrates rhythmic movement and social interaction in a shared virtual environment. The intervention is designed to promote physical activity, enhance social connectedness, and improve psychological well-being.
Behavioral: VR social musical exergame
Participants engage in a virtual reality (VR) social musical exergame twice per week for 6 weeks (45 minutes per session). The game integrates rhythmic movement with music and allows participants to interact with others in a shared virtual environment. The intervention is designed to promote physical activity, social interaction, and psychological engagement.
Experimental: VR Solo Music-Movement Exergame
Participants assigned to this arm will engage in a virtual reality (VR) music-movement exergaming program individually without social interaction. This condition isolates the effect of the exergaming activity itself without the social component.
Behavioral: VR solo musical exergame
Participants engage in a VR musical exergame with the same frequency, duration, and exercise intensity as the experimental group, but without social interaction features. The intervention focuses on individual gameplay without multiplayer interaction.
Active Comparator: Waitlist Control
Participants assigned to the control group will not receive the intervention during the study period and will be placed on a waitlist to receive the intervention after the trial is completed.
Other: Waitlist control
Participants assigned to the waitlist control group receive general mental health guidance and continue their usual activities during the 6-week study period. After the study period, they will be offered access to the VR intervention.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in depression symptoms measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0) to Post-intervention (Week 6)
Depression symptom severity will be assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), a 21-item self-report questionnaire widely used to measure depressive symptoms. The outcome measure is the change in BDI-II scores from baseline to post-intervention.
Baseline (Week 0) to Post-intervention (Week 6)
Change in anxiety symptoms measured by the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0) to Post-intervention (Week 6)
Anxiety symptom severity will be assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), a 21-item self-report questionnaire designed to measure anxiety symptoms. The outcome measure is the change in BAI scores from baseline to post-intervention.
Baseline (Week 0) to Post-intervention (Week 6)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Basic psychological need satisfaction measured by the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction Scale (BPNS)
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 6), and Follow-up (Week 10)
Basic psychological need satisfaction will be assessed using the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction Scale (BPNS), which measures the extent to which participants experience autonomy, competence, and relatedness during the intervention.
Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 6), and Follow-up (Week 10)
Loneliness measured by the UCLA Loneliness Scale
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 6), and Follow-up (Week 10)
Loneliness will be assessed using the UCLA Loneliness Scale, a validated self-report instrument measuring perceived social isolation and subjective feelings of loneliness.
Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 6), and Follow-up (Week 10)
Cardiorespiratory fitness estimated using the YMCA 3-Minute Step Test
Time Frame: Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 6), and Follow-up (Week 10)
Cardiorespiratory fitness will be estimated using the YMCA 3-Minute Step Test, a field-based assessment used to estimate cardiovascular fitness based on heart rate recovery following standardized stepping exercise.
Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 6), and Follow-up (Week 10)

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: GuangZheng Wan, MS, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine

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 (Estimated)

April 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

March 1, 2028

Study Completion (Estimated)

May 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 15, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 15, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

March 19, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 19, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 15, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • VR-SDT-RCT-2026

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

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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