MOTIVATION FOR REHABILITATION: User experience of virtual reality innovations for therapy for young people with brain injury

Dido Green(1-3), Shana Boltin(1), Alex Hutchon(1), Francesca Gowing(1), Betty Hutchon(1), Cherry Kilbride(1,2), Valentin Beauchamp(4), Laurent Grisoni(4)

(1)Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
(2)Division of Health Sciences, Brunel University London, UK.
(3)School of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden.
(4)Université de Lille – Sciences et Technologies, Lille, France.

Introduction

Intervention programmes for children and young people (CYP) with motor disorders often require extensive repetition of exercises which some CYP find tedious or difficult to adhere to. This study investigated how provision of virtual interfacing access to commercially produced Virtual Reality (VR) games via affordable technologies can provide a motivating enviroment for the practice of therapeutic activities. Secondary outcomes consider whether it is possible to improve reaching and hand movements as well as gain an understanding of the ages of CYP likely to benefit from participation in home-based VR therapy programmes.

Methods

Proof-of-Concept feasibility study using Raspberry Pi’s and Oculus Quest for accessibility and full immersion; case series n of 1 study involving 4 CYP with motor impairments and 4 CYP without movement difficulties; 2-week home-based trial modified due to COVID-19 restrictions to include outcome measures of Co-Produced User Evaluation form[1] and user experience diaries, Functional Reach Test and Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS: motor disorder group only). Descriptive statistics and associations between participation (frequency and duration of use) in relation to motivational constructs of autonomy, relatedness and self-efficacy/competence along with qualitative analysis of key themes emerging from semi structured questions.

Results and discussion

COVID-19 restrictions required amendments to protocol and delayed start of trial. Full results will be available by June. Interim findings show comments from CYP without movement difficulties reflecting engagement and enjoyment: “Amazing” and parents of CYP with movement difficulties: ”The kids are all so happy”. Comments from parents of 10 year old male with left sided hemiplegia on initial set up in relation to potential to enhance competency: “He has never moved like this before”; “Once he was in the games, we couldn’t get him to stop”.

Conclusions

Preliminary findings reflect potential for an affordable and accessible VR system utilizing commercially produced games to be enjoyable and motivating. Findings related to feasibility to impact on upper limb skill and perceived competencies will be reported. More difficulties were experienced in setting up the technologies and resolving glitches reported in our companion paper.

References

[1] Green D, et a; (2020) Coproducing Virtual Reality Technologies for Rehabilitation.IEEEXplore online pub https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8994337 doi:10.1109/ICVR46560.2019.8994337