Efficacy of the Virtual Reality Intervention VR FestLab on Alcohol Refusal Self-Efficacy: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial

Julie Dalgaard Guldager, Satayesh Lavasani Kjær, Ulrike Grittner and Christiane Stock
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Julie Dalgaard Guldager: Unit for Health Promotion Research, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Degnevej 14, DK6705 Esbjerg, Denmark
Satayesh Lavasani Kjær: Unit for Health Promotion Research, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Degnevej 14, DK6705 Esbjerg, Denmark
Ulrike Grittner: Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Christiane Stock: Unit for Health Promotion Research, Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Degnevej 14, DK6705 Esbjerg, Denmark

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 6, 1-18

Abstract: It is currently unknown whether a virtual social environment can support young people in building their skills to overcome peer pressure when offered alcohol. This study evaluated the efficacy of the newly developed virtual reality simulation game VR FestLab on the refusal self-efficacy regarding social pressures to drink of Danish male and female students aged 15–18. VR FestLab features a party setting where adolescents can “steer” their own party experience. Eleven schools were included in a cluster-randomized controlled trial and allocated to either the intervention ( n = 181) or the active control group ( n = 191). Students in intervention schools played VR FestLab , while those in the control group played the VR game Oculus Quest—First Steps . The primary outcome measure was the social pressure subscale of the drinking refusal self-efficacy scale (DRSEQ-RA). The intervention effects were measured immediately after the intervention/control session (T1) and after a 6-week follow-up (T2). Data were examined using linear mixed regression models. Our study did not demonstrate a significant effect of drinking refusal self-efficacy at T1. For all secondary outcomes, we observed no substantial differences between the intervention and control groups. This study provides new insights into the feasibility and effectiveness of an innovative virtual reality alcohol prevention tool. VR FestLab can be an innovative and promising contribution to complement existing school-based alcohol prevention, but more research is needed to improve its effectiveness.

Keywords: adolescents; virtual reality; alcohol; alcohol prevention; drinking refusal self-efficacy; peer pressure; cluster-RCT; intervention; school-based prevention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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