In Vitro Exposure by VR to Enhance Return to Work After Sick Leave Due to Mental Health Related Complaints

Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Occupational Stress; Return to Work; Self-Efficacy

Treatments: Other: In vitro exposure to workplace by VR plus care as usual; Other: Care as usual: Guidance from occupational physician and psychologist focused on returning to work

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06888999

2025.0183

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this pilot randomised controlled trial is to investigate whether in vitro exposure by VR enhances return to work (RTW) in flight cabin crew on sick leave with mental health related complaints. The main research questions are: 1. Does VR enhances time to RTW? 2. Does VR increase self-efficacy and positive cognitions regarding RTW, and decrease job anxiety? Researchers will compare a control group receiving care as usual as provided by the occupational physician and a psychologist to an intervention group receiving care as usual plus (al least) one session with VR-glasses in which participants are virtually exposed to their workplace.

Full description

This study evaluates the effectiveness of in vitro exposure to the workplace by means of VR to decrease time to RTW of sick-listed flight cabin crew with mental health related complaints compared to usual care. The study design is a pilot randomized controlled trial, including an intervention and control group. Sick-listed workers in the control group receive care as usual from the occupational physician and a psychologist. Sick-listed workers in the intervention group receive care as usual from the occupational physician and a psychologist and participate in a VR-session. During the VR-session, guided by the psychologist, participants are virtually exposed to their workplace. Data on the primary outcome of RTW is collected based on the register data from the occupational health service (6 and 12 months after baseline). Data on secondary outcomes (self-efficacy, cognitions regarding RTW and job anxiety) is collected with baseline and follow-up questionnaires (4 months after baseline).

Enrollment: 118 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

- sick listed cabin crew with mental health related complaints that are referred by the occupational physician to a specific psychotherapist practice

Exclusion criteria

• epilepsy
• vestibular disorder
• no signed informed consent

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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118 participants in 2 patient groups

Care as usual plus VR

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in the intervention group receive care as usual from the occupational physician and a psychologist and participate (al least once) in a VR-session. During the VR-session, guided by the psychologist, participants are virtually exposed to their workplace.

Treatment:

Other: In vitro exposure to workplace by VR plus care as usual

Care as usual

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants in the care as usual group receive care as usual from the occupational physician and a psychologist.

Treatment:

Other: Care as usual: Guidance from occupational physician and psychologist focused on returning to work