Recreational Therapists Consider Leisure Motivation when Evaluating Virtual Reality Games

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18666/TRJ-2021-V55-I4-10976

Keywords:

leisure motivation, motivation, recreational therapy, therapy, virtual reality

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) interventions can be motivating for clients when presented as treatment in healthcare settings. Researchers know little, however, about the elements of specific VR games that contribute to this motivation. This study aimed to describe differences among a sample of commercially available VR games using the four subscales of the Leisure Motivation Scale (LMS). The research team used a mixed-methods design, and compiled an expert panel of recreational therapists (N = 5) who evaluated eight VR games using Q-sort methodology. Semi-structured interviews generated additional data for the evaluation. Results indicated participants viewed certain VR games as containing elements more closely aligned with each of the LMS subscales of intellectual, social, competence-mastery, and stimulus avoidance than others. These findings represent a critical step in developing guidelines for the purposeful selection of VR games as treatment interventions in recreational therapy practice based on a client’s leisure motivation.

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Author Biographies

Lauren Lee Isaacs, University of Utah

MS, TRS, CTRS

Ph.D. Candidate

Department of Occupational and Recreational Therapies

Rhonda Nelson, University of Utah

Ph.D., MTRS, CTRS, MT-BC, FDRT

Assistant Professor

Recreational Therapy Program Director

Director of Graduate Studies, Recreational Therapy

Stephen Trapp, United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Ph.D.

Psychological Scientist

Clinician

Published

2021-10-19