A VR simulation of psychosis reduced stigma and increased empathy and knowledge among medical students¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r3 · q3
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Compared with standard supervised inpatient visits after a lecture, the VR psychosis simulation group showed significant reductions in stigma (p < 0.001), increases in empathy (p < 0.001), and knowledge improvements (p < 0.001). → Mokhtari Saba 2026

Evidence¶

Mokhtari Saba 2026¶

Mokhtari Saba, Mokhtari Asieh, Shariat Seyed Vahid, Nazeri Astaneh Ali, Shalbafan Mohammadreza. (2026). Innovative technologies in psychiatry education: a systematic review. BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-026-09573-1

q3 · i? · review · r3

Randomized study of 144 second- and third-year medical students (72 VR, 72 control) experiencing a ~4.5-minute culturally contextualized VR simulation of psychosis. The review reports significant stigma reduction, empathy increase, and knowledge gains, each at p < 0.001; RoB 2 rated some concerns.

"The results showed significant reductions in stigma (p < 0.001) and increases in empathy (p < 0.001), along with improvements in knowledge related to psychosis (p < 0.001) for the VR group compared to the control group. Notably, reported side effects were minor and temporary, with no lasting negative symptoms."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Social Awareness and Relationship Skills — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Virtual-reality delirium training increased nurses' empathy and knowledge, with larger empathy gains when VR preceded didactic instruction — related
• Immersion in virtual reality adds extraneous load yet can boost transfer, enjoyment, and motivation while leaving retention unaffected — related