An interventional study of VR social musical exergame and VR solo musical exergame in Depression and Anxiety, sponsored by Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 25 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-03-19.
Sponsored by Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR) music-movement exergaming intervention for improving social connectedness and psychological well-being among young adults. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) a VR social music-movement exergame group, (2) a VR solo exergame group without social interaction, and (3) a waitlist control group. The intervention integrates rhythmic movement, music-based interaction, and immersive VR environments to promote engagement and social connection. Primary outcomes include changes in depressive symptoms, anxiety, and social connectedness. Secondary outcomes include psychological need satisfaction and physical fitness indicators. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. The study will provide evidence on the potential benefits of immersive VR-based exergaming interventions for mental health and social well-being in young adults.
This study is a randomized controlled trial designed to examine the effects of a virtual reality (VR) music-movement exergaming intervention on social connectedness and psychological well-being in young adults. Participants aged 18-25 years will be recruited and randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) a VR social music-movement exergame group that allows interaction with peers in a shared virtual environment, (2) a VR solo exergame group with identical physical activity and music elements but without social interaction, and (3) a waitlist control group receiving a digital health handbook.
The intervention integrates rhythmic body movement, music-based interaction, and immersive VR environments to enhance engagement and psychological need satisfaction. The theoretical framework of the study is informed by Self-Determination Theory, focusing on the roles of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in promoting mental well-being.
Primary outcomes include depressive symptoms, anxiety levels, and perceived social connectedness. Secondary outcomes include psychological need satisfaction and physical fitness indicators. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1), and one-month follow-up (T2).
The results of this trial are expected to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of VR-based exergaming interventions for promoting mental health and social well-being in young adults.
8,057 studies on the registry are indexed under Depression; 1,643 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 130 is above the median of 84 across 6,718 interventional studies indexed under Depression.
Browse Depression studies →Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine is the lead sponsor of 3 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
Diagnosis of severe mental illness (e.g., psychosis or severe psychiatric disorders)
Participants assigned to this arm will engage in a virtual reality (VR) music-movement exergaming program that integrates rhythmic movement and social interaction in a shared virtual environment. The intervention is designed to promote physical activity, enhance social connectedness, and improve psychological well-being.
Behavioral: VR social musical exergame
Participants assigned to this arm will engage in a virtual reality (VR) music-movement exergaming program individually without social interaction. This condition isolates the effect of the exergaming activity itself without the social component.
Behavioral: VR solo musical exergame
Participants assigned to the control group will not receive the intervention during the study period and will be placed on a waitlist to receive the intervention after the trial is completed.
Other: Waitlist control
Participants engage in a virtual reality (VR) social musical exergame twice per week for 6 weeks (45 minutes per session). The game integrates rhythmic movement with music and allows participants to interact with others in a shared virtual environment. The intervention is designed to promote physical activity, social interaction, and psychological engagement.
Participants engage in a VR musical exergame with the same frequency, duration, and exercise intensity as the experimental group, but without social interaction features. The intervention focuses on individual gameplay without multiplayer interaction.
Participants assigned to the waitlist control group receive general mental health guidance and continue their usual activities during the 6-week study period. After the study period, they will be offered access to the VR intervention.
Change in depression symptoms measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)
Depression symptom severity will be assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), a 21-item self-report questionnaire widely used to measure depressive symptoms. The outcome measure is the change in BDI-II scores from baseline to post-intervention.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) to Post-intervention (Week 6)
Change in anxiety symptoms measured by the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)
Anxiety symptom severity will be assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), a 21-item self-report questionnaire designed to measure anxiety symptoms. The outcome measure is the change in BAI scores from baseline to post-intervention.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0) to Post-intervention (Week 6)
Basic psychological need satisfaction measured by the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction Scale (BPNS)
Basic psychological need satisfaction will be assessed using the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction Scale (BPNS), which measures the extent to which participants experience autonomy, competence, and relatedness during the intervention.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 6), and Follow-up (Week 10)
Loneliness measured by the UCLA Loneliness Scale
Loneliness will be assessed using the UCLA Loneliness Scale, a validated self-report instrument measuring perceived social isolation and subjective feelings of loneliness.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 6), and Follow-up (Week 10)
Cardiorespiratory fitness estimated using the YMCA 3-Minute Step Test
Cardiorespiratory fitness will be estimated using the YMCA 3-Minute Step Test, a field-based assessment used to estimate cardiovascular fitness based on heart rate recovery following standardized stepping exercise.
Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 6), and Follow-up (Week 10)
No study locations are listed for this record.
Plan to share: Undecided
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Mar 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine