Virtual reality training for stroke rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of a 2-D virtual reality (2DVR) programme in the training of people with stroke on how to access and use the station facilities of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR).


METHODS
A flat-screen 2DVR based training programme and a corresponding, typical psycho-educational programme with video modelling were developed for comparison through a research design that involved a randomised control group pre-test and post-test.


RESULTS
Twenty and sixteen subjects respectively received 10 training sessions using the 2DVR strategy and a video-based psycho-educational programme. An additional 22 subjects formed the control group. They were assessed by using a behavioural checklist of MTR skills and a newly validated MTR self-efficacy scale. The subjects of both training groups showed a significant improvement in their knowledge, skills and self-efficacy in using the MTR (p<0.01), whereas, the MTR skills and self-efficacy of the control group remained stable over a four-week interval.


CONCLUSIONS
Though both training programmes were effective in training the patients with stroke, they demonstrated differential improvements in MTR skills and related self-efficacy. Additional studies are recommended to identify the most effective training procedures for maintaining these skills and the best transfer ratio in the training of VR-based community living skills of people with stroke.
Lam
Yat San
YS
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.
Man
David W K
DW
Tam
Sing Fai
SF
Weiss
Patrice L
PL
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011890:Railroads; D020377:Self Efficacy; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D020521:Stroke / Q000523:psychology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014584:User-Computer Interface