The Effect of a Comprehensive Dementia Education Program on Improving Attitudes Toward People Living With Dementia

NCT ID: NCT07265856

Last Updated: 2025-12-05

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 200 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-10-01
• Study Completion Date: 2026-05-30

Brief Summary

This randomized controlled trial focuses on Indonesian nursing students and examines the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) dementia education programs. The study addresses the following research questions:

1. What is the current level of knowledge and awareness about dementia among participants before they engage in a VR dementia education program?

2. What is the effect of a VR dementia education program on improving participants' attitudes, knowledge, and intention to help people living with dementia, and how satisfied are participants with the VR education program?

Participants will voluntarily join a 100-minute class session, with each participant attending only once. Participants are individually randomized into either the intervention group or the control group. The program is integrated into the faculty's dementia-related courses and includes several components: introduction, pre-program questionnaire, lecture, undesirable drama (unfriendly communication), undesirable VR experience, discussion, Lecture 1 (dementia overview), desirable VR experience, desirable drama, Lecture 2, N-impro, post-program questionnaire, and conclusion.

Detailed Description

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate a virtual reality (VR) dementia education program among nursing students in Indonesia. Participants will be nursing students enrolled in specific semesters and courses that have been selected for the implementation of this educational program. At Universitas Airlangga, the study will involve students in the fifth semester (third year). All prospective participants will be assigned new ID numbers to ensure confidentiality. This protocol has been reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Nursing, Universitas Airlangga.

The VR dementia education program will be integrated into the Psychiatric Nursing course, which includes topics related to dementia care. Participants will be recruited during this course through in-class announcements. An overview of the study procedures will be provided, and detailed instructions will be given shortly before data collection begins. The research team will inform students about the study approximately one week in advance, and recruitment will take place via Google Forms. Students who agree to participate will receive their new ID numbers and details regarding the schedule and location of the program through class announcements three days before the intervention.

On the intervention day, participants will arrive at the designated location and sign the attendance list using their assigned IDs. The Principal Investigator (PI) will explain the study procedures and emphasize that participation is voluntary and that students may withdraw at any time without penalty. Students who choose not to participate will still receive standard dementia-related learning material through the university's e-learning platform, but they will not take part in the VR-based educational program. Students who agree to participate will provide informed consent and complete questionnaires before and after the intervention.

Eligible participants will be identified through the university's e-learning portal. Students registered in the selected courses for the 2025/2026 academic year will be screened at the beginning of the semester. All eligible students will receive comprehensive information about the study and an invitation to participate.

The research team will describe the study in person and distribute written information at the start of the course. The 2025/2026 course consists of four classes, each with approximately 50-60 students. All class will be randomly assigned to the intervention group. The intervention group will receive the comprehensive VR dementia education program, and the control group will receive standard dementia-related material via the e-learning platform. Both groups will complete pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. To evaluate long-term effects, follow-up data will be collected from both groups at the end of the course (expected February-March 2025).

The intervention group will participate in a single VR dementia education session, while the control group will receive a single standard lecture through the e-learning platform. Students who provide informed consent will complete the baseline survey (T1). In the intervention group, students will attend a classroom lecture and discussion on dementia (first class session) and then complete a post-lecture survey (T2). Both groups will then complete the final follow-up survey (T3) at the end of the semester. The control group will follow the same survey timeline (T1-T3).

Conditions

Dementia

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Comprehensive VR education program group

Behavioral: Comprehensive VR Dementia Education Programviewed for cultural accuracy and adapted for Indonesian students.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Comprehensive VR Program

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The intervention is a single-session VR dementia education program with up to 20 participants per session. The program includes: introduction; pre-program questionnaire; short lecture; bad drama video; a VR scenario showing poor communication; discussion; Lecture 1 on dementia; a positive VR scenario; good drama video; Lecture 2 on supporting people with dementia; N-impro activity; post-program questionnaire; and a brief conclusion. The program combines videos, VR experiences, lectures, and discussions to simulate real dementia care situations, build reflection, and strengthen students' knowledge, communication skills, and attitudes toward people living with dementia. All activities follow a fixed timeline to keep the session structured and ensure that each component supports the learning objectives. Content translated from Japanese will be reviewed for cultural accuracy and adapted for Indonesian students.

Control Group

Behavioral: Conventional Lecture Program

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Conventional Lecture Program (Non-VR)

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The control group will receive a study explanation and complete the pre-test via Zoom. They will then follow a conventional dementia-related lecture program through the university's LMS, which includes lecture explanations, video lectures, and a discussion forum. Students will submit a written summary of the lecture as their assignment.

After the LMS learning period ends, participants will attend a second Zoom session to complete the post-test.

Interventions

Comprehensive VR Program

The intervention is a single-session VR dementia education program with up to 20 participants per session. The program includes: introduction; pre-program questionnaire; short lecture; bad drama video; a VR scenario showing poor communication; discussion; Lecture 1 on dementia; a positive VR scenario; good drama video; Lecture 2 on supporting people with dementia; N-impro activity; post-program questionnaire; and a brief conclusion. The program combines videos, VR experiences, lectures, and discussions to simulate real dementia care situations, build reflection, and strengthen students' knowledge, communication skills, and attitudes toward people living with dementia. All activities follow a fixed timeline to keep the session structured and ensure that each component supports the learning objectives. Content translated from Japanese will be reviewed for cultural accuracy and adapted for Indonesian students.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Conventional Lecture Program (Non-VR)

The control group will receive a study explanation and complete the pre-test via Zoom. They will then follow a conventional dementia-related lecture program through the university's LMS, which includes lecture explanations, video lectures, and a discussion forum. Students will submit a written summary of the lecture as their assignment.

After the LMS learning period ends, participants will attend a second Zoom session to complete the post-test.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Nursing students enrolled in the designated semester at Universitas Airlangga.
• Students registered in the courses aligned with the implementation of the VR dementia education program.

Exclusion Criteria

• Students who have prior experience with similar VR dementia education programs.

• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Chiba University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Universitas Airlangga

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Dianis Wulan Sari

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Universitas Airlangga

Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia

Countries

Indonesia

Provided Documents

Document Type: Study Protocol, Statistical Analysis Plan, and Informed Consent Form

View Document

Other Identifiers

39922-KEPK

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

3922-KEPK

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id