LonelinessVRTNCT07644416
Using Virtual Reality Travel to Reduce Loneliness in Older Adults
A study testing Virtual Reality Travel in people with Loneliness and Older Adults (65 Years and Older), run by Indiana University at 3 sites in United States.
Trial summary
This study aims to investigate whether and how virtual reality travel (VRT) can reduce loneliness among older adults. It will utilize a mixed-methods research design that combines an randomly assigned experiment with follow-up semi-structured interviews. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 65 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Loneliness, Older Adults (65 Years and Older), Virtual Reality
- What is being tested?
- Virtual Reality Travel
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 3 sitesUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Jun 2026to 30 May 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 65 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Adults aged 65 years or older
- Express willingness to engage with VR technology
Who cannot join
- No self-reported physical, sensory, neurological, or cognitive conditions that would make VR use unsafe or impractical (e.g., uncontrolled seizures, severe vertigo, or significant uncorrected vision/hearing impairments).
Trial locations and contacts
3 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States3 sites, 3 recruiting
- Recruiting
Evergreen Village at Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana, 47401
Sherri Ganka, 812-336-2718, resident.services@evergreenvillage-bloomington.com
- Recruiting
Bell Trace
Bloomington, Indiana, 47408
Melissa Davis, 812-332-2355, mdavis@cardon.us
- Recruiting
Area 10 Agency on Aging
Ellettsville, Indiana, 47429
Amy Guerrettaz, 812-935-2582, aguerrettaz@area10agency.org
About this study
Official title: Virtual Reality Travel (VRT) as a Loneliness Intervention for Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
This study aims to investigate whether and how virtual reality travel (VRT) can reduce loneliness among older adults. It will utilize a mixed-methods research design that combines an randomly assigned experiment with follow-up semi-structured interviews.
This is a pilot study and it is essential to establish the feasibility and acceptability of the protocol, assess the tolerability of VR technology in this population prior to conducting a full-scale RCT, and generate preliminary effect size estimates to inform future sample size calculations.
- Being tested
- Virtual Reality Travel, Puzzle-Based Attention Control Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Virtual Reality TravelBehavioural
Participants in the VR travel group experience a 13-minute-and-44-second VR tour of Bali Island, Indonesia.
Puzzle-Based Attention Control ActivityBehavioural
Participants in the attention control group complete 13 minutes and 44 seconds symmetric puzzles featuring leaves, birds, and insects.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual reality travel group | Experimental | Participants in the VR travel group experience a 13-minute-and-44-second VR tour of Bali Island, Indonesia. Receives: Behavioral: Virtual Reality Travel |
| Attention control group | Active comparator | Participants in the attention control group complete 13-minute-and-44-second symmetric puzzles featuring leaves, birds, and insects. Receives: Behavioral: Puzzle-Based Attention Control Activity |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
loneliness
Loneliness was assessed using a multi-item visual analog scale (VAS), with items presented as 100 mm horizontal lines anchored by "Not at all" (left) and "Extremely" (right). Items were adapted from the University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale and modified to capture present-moment experience using a "Right now…" stem, enabling assessment of state-level rather than trait-level loneliness.
Participants were instructed to indicate their current feelings by placing a single perpendicular mark on each line corresponding to their response. VAS scores were calculated by measuring the distance in millimeters from the left anchor to the participant's mark, yielding a continuous score ranging from 0 to 100 for each item. Item scores were then averaged to compute an overall loneliness score, with higher values indicating higher levels of state loneliness.
Measured: Baseline and following completion of the intervention session (approximately 20-30 minutes after baseline assessment)
Secondary outcomes (2)
positive emotions
Positive emotions was assessed using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The PANAS consists of 20 items, including 10 items measuring positive affect (e.g., interested, excited, enthusiastic) and 10 items measuring negative affect (e.g., distressed, upset, nervous). Participants were asked to indicate the extent to which they were experiencing each emotion right now on a Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (Very slightly or not at all) to 5 (Extremely), consistent with the state version of the measure. Scores for positive affect and negative affect were computed separately by averaging the corresponding items, with higher scores indicating greater levels of the respective emotional state.
Measured: Baseline and following completion of the intervention session (approximately 20-30 minutes after baseline assessment)
meaning in life
Meaning in life was assessed using a modified version of the Multidimensional Existential Meaning Scale. To capture state meaning in life, the phrase "right now" was added to each item to reflect participants' momentary perceptions. The MEMS is a 15-item multidimensional measure based on a tripartite conceptualization of meaning in life encompassing comprehension (life coherence), purpose (goal-directedness), and mattering (perceived significance). Participants rated each item on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (very strongly disagree) to 7 (very strongly agree). Each subscale consists of five items, and subscale scores were computed by averaging corresponding items, with one mattering item reverse scored. Higher scores indicate greater levels of comprehension, purpose, and mattering.
Measured: Baseline and following completion of the intervention session (approximately 20-30 minutes after baseline assessment)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted12 Jun 2026
- Study start1 Jun 2026
- Primary completion30 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion30 May 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for LonelinessStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Indiana University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Misty Hawkins, Indiana University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07644416
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IUB-VRTPilot-2026
- Acronym
- VRT
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 25 May 2026
- Last updated
- 14 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 14 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Virtual Reality Travel (VRT) as a Loneliness Intervention for Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07644416
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- VRT / IUB-VRTPilot-2026
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Indiana UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 May 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 12 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to investigate whether and how virtual reality travel (VRT) can reduce loneliness among older adults. It will utilize a mixed-methods research design that combines an randomly assigned experiment with follow-up semi-structured interviews.
This is a pilot study and it is essential to establish the feasibility and acceptability of the protocol, assess the tolerability of VR technology in this population prior to conducting a full-scale RCT, and generate preliminary effect size estimates to inform future sample size calculations.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual reality travel group | Experimental | Behavioral: Virtual Reality TravelParticipants in the VR travel group experience a 13-minute-and-44-second VR tour of Bali Island, Indonesia. |
| Attention control group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Puzzle-Based Attention Control ActivityParticipants in the attention control group complete 13-minute-and-44-second symmetric puzzles featuring leaves, birds, and insects. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 65 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Adults aged 65 years or older
- Express willingness to engage with VR technology
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- No self-reported physical, sensory, neurological, or cognitive conditions that would make VR use unsafe or impractical (e.g., uncontrolled seizures, severe vertigo, or significant uncorrected vision/hearing impairments).
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Reality TravelParticipants in the VR travel group experience a 13-minute-and-44-second VR tour of Bali Island, Indonesia. | Behavioural | Virtual reality travel group |
| Puzzle-Based Attention Control ActivityParticipants in the attention control group complete 13 minutes and 44 seconds symmetric puzzles featuring leaves, birds, and insects. | Behavioural | Attention control group |
Primary outcome
loneliness
Time frame: Baseline and following completion of the intervention session (approximately 20-30 minutes after baseline assessment)
Loneliness was assessed using a multi-item visual analog scale (VAS), with items presented as 100 mm horizontal lines anchored by "Not at all" (left) and "Extremely" (right). Items were adapted from the University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale and modified to capture present-moment experience using a "Right now…" stem, enabling assessment of state-level rather than trait-level loneliness. Participants were instructed to indicate their current feelings by placing a single perpendicular mark on each line corresponding to their response. VAS scores were calculated by measuring the distance in millimeters from the left anchor to the participant's mark, yielding a continuous score ranging from 0 to 100 for each item. Item scores were then averaged to compute an overall loneliness score, with higher values indicating higher levels of state loneliness.
2 secondary outcomes
positive emotions
Time frame: Baseline and following completion of the intervention session (approximately 20-30 minutes after baseline assessment)
meaning in life
Time frame: Baseline and following completion of the intervention session (approximately 20-30 minutes after baseline assessment)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 14 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
3 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Virtual Reality Travel in people with Loneliness and Older Adults (65 Years and Older), run by Indiana University at 3 sites in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 3 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Ruiping Ren (812-671-4087, renruip@iu.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
loneliness (time frame: Baseline and following completion of the intervention session (approximately 20-30 minutes after baseline assessment)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Aug 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 26 Oct 2026.