VR training interventions can promote knowledge and skills acquisition in health care professionals and students for assessing and treating mental health disorders, though the evidence base is uncertain¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r3 · q2
Currency · newest study 2024 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? A narrative synthesis of eight studies suggests VR training interventions can promote knowledge and skills acquisition in mental health assessment and treatment. → Sten CW 2024

Evidence¶

Sten CW 2024¶

Steen CW, Söderström K, Stensrud B, Nylund IB, Siqveland J. (2024). The effectiveness of virtual reality training on knowledge, skills and attitudes of health care professionals and students in assessing and treating mental health disorders: a systematic review. BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05423-0

q2 · i? · review · r3

Systematic review narrative synthesis of eight studies (four RCTs, four non-randomized) of VR training for mental health assessment and treatment outcomes; the review states "VR training interventions can promote knowledge and skills acquisition" but could not meta-analyse due to heterogeneity.

"The results suggest that VR training interventions can promote knowledge and skills acquisition."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• VR training improved mental health knowledge in two non-randomized studies but showed no statistically significant effect on diagnostic recognition in a cohort study — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• The RCTs showed some concern or high overall risk of bias and the non-randomized studies moderate to serious risk, making the evidence base uncertain — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)
• Virtual standardized patient training improved alcohol screening and brief intervention skills and diagnostic accuracy for depression and PTSD in two RCTs, while a suicide risk assessment RCT found no significant effect — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• All included VR training interventions used non-immersive desktop systems; no immersive VR studies met the review's inclusion criteria — related
• A single-group pretest–posttest study found no significant effect of VSP training on attitudes toward individuals with substance abuse disorders but a significant increase in perceived competence — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• VR tools enhance acquisition and retention of clinical and procedural skills but face barriers including cybersickness, limited tactile feedback and variable long-term skill transfer — a broader claim this one bears on
• The included studies do not reflect which intervention is better or which favours the acquisition and retention of knowledge more effectively. — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• An RCT using self-reported combined knowledge and skills found a significant within-group pretest-to-posttest increase with a large effect size, but reported no between-group comparison — a narrower finding that bears on this claim