Using Virtual Reality Travel to Reduce Loneliness in Older Adults (VRT)

Virtual Reality Travel (VRT) as a Loneliness Intervention for Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aims to investigate whether and how virtual reality travel (VRT) can reduce loneliness among older adults. It will utilize a mixed-methods research design that combines an randomly assigned experiment with follow-up semi-structured interviews.

This is a pilot study and it is essential to establish the feasibility and acceptability of the protocol, assess the tolerability of VR technology in this population prior to conducting a full-scale RCT, and generate preliminary effect size estimates to inform future sample size calculations.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Loneliness; Virtual Reality; Older Adults (65 Years and Older); Leisure Activities
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Virtual Reality Travel; Behavioral: Puzzle-Based Attention Control Activity

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Ruiping Ren; Phone Number: 812-671-4087; Email: renruip@iu.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Indiana
    • Bloomington, Indiana, United States, 47401
      • Evergreen Village at Bloomington
      • Contact: Sherri Ganka; Phone Number: 812-336-2718; Email: resident.services@evergreenvillage-bloomington.com
    • Bloomington, Indiana, United States, 47408
      • Bell Trace
      • Contact: Melissa Davis; Phone Number: 812-332-2355; Email: mdavis@cardon.us
    • Ellettsville, Indiana, United States, 47429
      • Area 10 Agency on Aging
      • Contact: Amy Guerrettaz; Phone Number: 812-935-2582; Email: aguerrettaz@area10agency.org

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults aged 65 years or older
• Express willingness to engage with VR technology

Exclusion Criteria:

- No self-reported physical, sensory, neurological, or cognitive conditions that would make VR use unsafe or impractical (e.g., uncontrolled seizures, severe vertigo, or significant uncorrected vision/hearing impairments).

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Virtual reality travel group; Participants in the VR travel group experience a 13-minute-and-44-second VR tour of Bali Island, Indonesia.	Behavioral: Virtual Reality Travel; Participants in the VR travel group experience a 13-minute-and-44-second VR tour of Bali Island, Indonesia.
Active Comparator: Attention control group; Participants in the attention control group complete 13-minute-and-44-second symmetric puzzles featuring leaves, birds, and insects.	Behavioral: Puzzle-Based Attention Control Activity; Participants in the attention control group complete 13 minutes and 44 seconds symmetric puzzles featuring leaves, birds, and insects.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
loneliness	Loneliness was assessed using a multi-item visual analog scale (VAS), with items presented as 100 mm horizontal lines anchored by "Not at all" (left) and "Extremely" (right). Items were adapted from the University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale and modified to capture present-moment experience using a "Right now…" stem, enabling assessment of state-level rather than trait-level loneliness. Participants were instructed to indicate their current feelings by placing a single perpendicular mark on each line corresponding to their response. VAS scores were calculated by measuring the distance in millimeters from the left anchor to the participant's mark, yielding a continuous score ranging from 0 to 100 for each item. Item scores were then averaged to compute an overall loneliness score, with higher values indicating higher levels of state loneliness.	Baseline and following completion of the intervention session (approximately 20-30 minutes after baseline assessment)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
positive emotions	Positive emotions was assessed using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The PANAS consists of 20 items, including 10 items measuring positive affect (e.g., interested, excited, enthusiastic) and 10 items measuring negative affect (e.g., distressed, upset, nervous). Participants were asked to indicate the extent to which they were experiencing each emotion right now on a Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (Very slightly or not at all) to 5 (Extremely), consistent with the state version of the measure. Scores for positive affect and negative affect were computed separately by averaging the corresponding items, with higher scores indicating greater levels of the respective emotional state.	Baseline and following completion of the intervention session (approximately 20-30 minutes after baseline assessment)
meaning in life	Meaning in life was assessed using a modified version of the Multidimensional Existential Meaning Scale. To capture state meaning in life, the phrase "right now" was added to each item to reflect participants' momentary perceptions. The MEMS is a 15-item multidimensional measure based on a tripartite conceptualization of meaning in life encompassing comprehension (life coherence), purpose (goal-directedness), and mattering (perceived significance). Participants rated each item on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very strongly disagree) to 7 (very strongly agree). Each subscale consists of five items, and subscale scores were computed by averaging corresponding items, with one mattering item reverse scored. Higher scores indicate greater levels of comprehension, purpose, and mattering.	Baseline and following completion of the intervention session (approximately 20-30 minutes after baseline assessment)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Indiana University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 25, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 8, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): June 12, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 12, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 8, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: IUB-VRTPilot-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