Effects of an Aging Simulation Suit on Clinical Empathy in Healthcare Professionals Working in Long-Term Care
NCT ID: NCT07280689
Last Updated: 2025-12-19
Study Results
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Basic Information
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COMPLETED
NA
82 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2024-01-30
2024-09-30
Brief Summary
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Empathy was assessed before and after the intervention using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and the Jefferson Scale of Empathy - Health Professions version (JSPE-HPS). Results showed significant improvements in the JSPE-HPS total score and in its Perspective Taking and Compassionate Care dimensions in the experimental group, indicating that the immersive experience enhanced both cognitive and affective components of clinical empathy. No significant changes were observed in the IRI scores.
These findings suggest that experiential learning through aging simulation can effectively strengthen empathy in active healthcare professionals, promoting more person-centered and compassionate care for older adults in long-term care settings.
Detailed Description
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Traditional empathy training for healthcare providers often relies on lectures, role-playing, or observation of patient interactions. However, there is limited evidence regarding the impact of immersive simulation-based methods on empathy among active healthcare professionals. The use of aging simulation suits, which reproduce the physical and sensory limitations of older adults, has emerged as an innovative educational tool to promote understanding of the aging experience and improve empathic attitudes toward older persons.
This randomized controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effect of an aging simulation suit (GERT, Niederstotzingen, Germany) on levels of clinical empathy among healthcare professionals working in long-term care facilities. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups:
Experimental Group: Received a theoretical educational session on aging, functional limitations, and the role of empathy in care, followed by a practical session using the aging simulation suit. During the simulation, participants performed daily living tasks (e.g., walking, climbing stairs, dressing, interacting with others) while experiencing the physical restrictions associated with advanced age.
Control Group: Received only the theoretical session on aging and empathy without the immersive simulation experience.
Empathy was assessed pre- and post-intervention using two validated instruments:
Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) - measures cognitive and emotional dimensions of general empathy.
Jefferson Scale of Empathy - Health Professions version (JSPE-HPS) - evaluates empathy specifically in clinical contexts.
Data analysis was conducted using repeated-measures ANOVA to assess within- and between-group differences over time.
Main findings: The experimental group showed significant increases in total JSPE-HPS scores and in the subscales Perspective Taking and Compassionate Care, whereas the control group showed no significant changes. No significant differences were observed in IRI scores. These results indicate that immersive experiential learning through the use of an aging simulation suit can enhance both cognitive and affective aspects of empathy in healthcare professionals.
The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Universidad Rey Juan Carlos and conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and ICH Good Clinical Practice guidelines.
This research supports the integration of simulation-based empathy training in continuing professional education for healthcare workers in long-term care, promoting more compassionate, person-centered care for the aging population.
Conditions
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Keywords
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
OTHER
NONE
Study Groups
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Experimental: Aging Simulation Suit + Educational Session
Participants received a theoretical session on aging, functional limitations, and empathy in healthcare, followed by an immersive experience using the GERT aging simulation suit. The suit replicates the physical and sensory limitations of aging, allowing participants to perform everyday tasks while experiencing the challenges faced by older adults.
Experimental: Aging Simulation Suit + Educational Session
Immersive training session using the GERT aging simulation suit (Niederstotzingen, Germany), designed to reproduce age-related physical and sensory limitations. Participants performed common daily activities (e.g., walking, climbing stairs, dressing, interacting with others) while wearing the suit to experience the physical challenges of aging. This activity was followed by a short debriefing and group reflection aimed at enhancing empathy and awareness toward older adults.
Control: Educational Session Only
A structured theoretical session covering topics such as aging processes, functional limitations, and the importance of empathy in healthcare and long-term care contexts. Delivered to all participants in both study arms, serving as the baseline educational component for the control and experimental groups.
Control: Educational Session Only
Participants received the same theoretical session on aging, functional limitations, and empathy in healthcare as the experimental group, but did not use the aging simulation suit.
Control: Educational Session Only
A structured theoretical session covering topics such as aging processes, functional limitations, and the importance of empathy in healthcare and long-term care contexts. Delivered to all participants in both study arms, serving as the baseline educational component for the control and experimental groups.
Interventions
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Experimental: Aging Simulation Suit + Educational Session
Immersive training session using the GERT aging simulation suit (Niederstotzingen, Germany), designed to reproduce age-related physical and sensory limitations. Participants performed common daily activities (e.g., walking, climbing stairs, dressing, interacting with others) while wearing the suit to experience the physical challenges of aging. This activity was followed by a short debriefing and group reflection aimed at enhancing empathy and awareness toward older adults.
Control: Educational Session Only
A structured theoretical session covering topics such as aging processes, functional limitations, and the importance of empathy in healthcare and long-term care contexts. Delivered to all participants in both study arms, serving as the baseline educational component for the control and experimental groups.
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* Currently working in a long-term care or nursing home facility with direct contact with residents.
* Willing to participate voluntarily during working hours.
* Signed written informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria
* No direct patient contact with older adults.
* Any physical or cognitive limitation that would prevent safe participation in the aging simulation experience.
18 Years
65 Years
ALL
Yes
Sponsors
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Participating Nursing Homes in Madrid and Asturias, Spain
UNKNOWN
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Sergio Serrada Tejeda
PhD
Principal Investigators
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Rosa María Martínez Piédrola, PhD
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
Locations
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Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
Countries
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References
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Lee K, Han A, Kim TH. Effectiveness of Simulation-Based Empathy Enhancement Program for Caregivers (SEE-C) Evaluated by Older Adults Receiving Care. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jul 23;18(15):7802. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18157802.
Pira GL, Ruini C, Vescovelli F, Banos R, Ventura S. Could Empathy Be Taught? The Role of Advanced Technologies to Foster Empathy in Medical Students and Healthcare Professionals: A Systematic Review. J Med Syst. 2025 Jan 14;49(1):6. doi: 10.1007/s10916-025-02144-9.
Ebm C, Sarti R, Panico P, Pagliotta M, Vinci V, Oldani S. Enhancing compassion in medical education - a comparative study of the efficacy of clinical clerkships versus simulation-based training methodologies. BMC Med Educ. 2025 Feb 4;25(1):181. doi: 10.1186/s12909-025-06687-w.
Halton C, Cartwright T. Walking in a Patient's Shoes: An Evaluation Study of Immersive Learning Using a Digital Training Intervention. Front Psychol. 2018 Nov 12;9:2124. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02124. eCollection 2018.
Other Identifiers
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2711201916919
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id