Virtual reality-based anti-stigma (VRAS) application for depression stigma education

抄録

Background: The public stigma of depression can lead to unemployment and self-stigmatization for the patient with depression. Contact-based educational intervention is one of the most effective interventions to reduce depression stigma. However, contact using an actual patient is difficult to arrange and is ethically challenging. Virtual reality (VR) technology could reduce the stigma of depression by allowing users to interact with virtual patients. This study aimed to develop a support tool (VR-based anti-stigma: VRAS) for learning about depression and stigma for depression using virtual patients. Methods: A rapid prototyping method was adopted to develop the VRAS application using Unity3D (Unity Technologies, San Francisco, CA). The subjects were adults without mental illness. A questionnaire modified from a web-based learning tool (WBLT) evaluation scale was used to measure usefulness, comprehensibility, usability, and VR sickness. Results: Sixteen participants were recruited using snowball sampling and experienced the VRAS application. Of the participants, 81.3% rated the application positively for usefulness. All participants gave positive ratings for comprehensibility and usability. 56.2% of the participants experienced mild VR sickness. Conclusion: The VRAS application could be a user-friendly and helpful tool for learning about the stigma of depression. Future randomized controlled trials are needed to validate its effectiveness.