Examining the Effects of Virtual Reality Exercise on Mental Health

NCT ID: NCT06367439

Last Updated: 2025-08-11

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 154 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-03-19
• Study Completion Date: 2025-07-11

Brief Summary

The primary purpose of this investigation is to examine the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) exercise (Supernatural exergaming via Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC) for improving well-being (i.e., vitality) over a 10-week period. The secondary purpose is to examine the efficacy of VR exercise for improving depression mood symptoms, anxiety mood symptoms, and perceived cognitive functioning over a 10-week period, as well as short-term mood (post-exercise) and affective experiences during exercise. The tertiarty purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of VR exercise for improving both physical activity behaviour and physical activity motivation (attitudes, capability, opportunity, intentions, behavioural regulation, habit, identity) over a 10-week period. Another tertiary purpose is to examine whether key motivational variables (e.g., attitudes, capability, opportunity, intentions, behavioural regulation, habit, identity) regarding Supernatural use explain variability in Supernatural use over time.

Conditions

Mental Health; Mood; Well-Being, Psychological; Physical Activity

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: BASIC_SCIENCE
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Virtual Reality Exercise Condition

Participants will complete a virtual reality (VR) exercise tutorial (Supernatural gameplay) and a Supernatural affect measurement workout (Flow or Boxing) in the Behavioural Medicine Lab (UVic). The tutorial will include watching Supernatural YouTube instructional videos, then completing a Supernatural training (\~5-6 min), a 'getting started' low intensity Supernatural workout (\~3 min), a low intensity Supernatural workout (\~3 min), and a medium intensity Supernatural workout (\~3 min). Participants will then complete the affect measurement medium intensity Supernatural workout (18-20 min). Participants will be provided a Virtual Reality headset (i.e., Meta Quest 3 headset) equipped with a Supernatural account for 10 weeks and will be instructed to participate in 75 minutes of medium intensity Supernatural physical activity per week which is equivalent to 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity (in line with the Canadian physical activity guidelines).

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Virtual reality exercise condition

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will complete a virtual reality exercise (i.e., Supernatural) tutorial (YouTube instruction and in-headset gameplay instruction/practice) and will complete a 18-20 minute affect measurement medium intensity virtual reality exercise (i.e., Supernatural) session in the Behavioural Medicine Lab (UVic).

Virtual reality exercise condition

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be provided a virtual reality headset (Meta Quest 3 Headset) and subscription to a virtual reality exercise game (i.e., Supernatural) for 10 weeks. Participants will be instructed to participate in 75 minutes of medium intensity Supernatural physical activity (equivalent to 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity) per week in their own home.

Waitlist Control Condition

Participants will complete a control treadmill walk/run exercise session in the Behavioural Medicine Lab (30 min) that emulates the lab-based Supernatural exercise session (intervention condition). The treadmill run/walk will be the comparison condition for examining the effects of Supernatural exercise on mood and affect. First, participants will complete a 10 min treadmill orientation where they will walk for 3 min at 3 mph, walk for 3 min at 3.5 mph, walk/jog for 3 min at 4 mph, and walk for 1 min at 3 mph. Participants will then complete a 19.5-20 min treadmill walk/jog where they will complete a 1 min warmup at 3 mph, walk/jog for 17.5 min at 4 mph. Participants will then be asked to continue as they are for 10 weeks and will have the opportunity to bring home the Meta Quest 3 headset equipped with Supernatural for 10 weeks post-study.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Virtual reality exercise condition

Participants will complete a virtual reality exercise (i.e., Supernatural) tutorial (YouTube instruction and in-headset gameplay instruction/practice) and will complete a 18-20 minute affect measurement medium intensity virtual reality exercise (i.e., Supernatural) session in the Behavioural Medicine Lab (UVic).

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Virtual reality exercise condition

Participants will be provided a virtual reality headset (Meta Quest 3 Headset) and subscription to a virtual reality exercise game (i.e., Supernatural) for 10 weeks. Participants will be instructed to participate in 75 minutes of medium intensity Supernatural physical activity (equivalent to 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity) per week in their own home.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

Baseline virtual reality exercise and measurement workout; 10 week virtual reality exercise program

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age 19-64
• Living in the Greater Victoria area
• Have a stable Wi-Fi connection at home
• Experience no health constraints that limit moderate-to-vigorous physical activity participation as identified by the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PARQ+).
• Currently participating in less than 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week (as per Canadian physical activity guidelines)
• Be willing to travel into the Behavioural Medicine Lab on the UVic campus
• Be the only member of their household to participate in the study, past or present

Exclusion Criteria

• If participant is flagged by the PARQ+ and is not cleared to participate in physical activity by their physician they are ineligible to participate

• Minimum Eligible Age: 19 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 64 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Meta Platforms, Inc.

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Victoria

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Ryan Rhodes, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Lab Director and Professor

Locations

Behavioural Medicine Lab

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Countries

Canada

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Other Identifiers

FN-10984

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id