Evaluation of a virtual reality prospective memory task for use with individuals with severe traumatic brain injury

Abstract

The current study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity, convergent validity and ecological validity of a newly developed virtual reality prospective memory (PM) task (i.e., the Virtual Reality Shopping Task; VRST) for use with individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Thirty individuals with severe TBI and 24 uninjured adults matched on age, gender and education level were administered the VRST, a lexical decision PM task (LDPMT), an index of task-friendliness and a cognitive assessment battery. Significant others rated disruptions in the TBI participants' occupational activities, interpersonal relationships and independent living skills. The performance of the TBI group was significantly poorer than that of controls on event-based PM as measured by the LDPMT, and on time- and event-based PM as measured by the VRST. Performance on the VRST significantly predicted significant others' ratings of patients' occupational activities and independent living skills. The VRST was rated as significantly more reflective of an everyday activity, interesting and was afforded a higher recommendation than the LDPMT. For the TBI group, event and total PM performance on the VRST significantly correlated with performance on measures of mental flexibility and verbal fluency, and total PM performance correlated with verbal memory. These results provide preliminary but promising evidence of the sensitivity, as well as the convergent and ecological validity of the VRST.

Guidelines for the Development of Immersive Virtual Reality Software for Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology: The Development of Virtual Reality Everyday Assessment Lab (VR-EAL), a Neuropsychological Test Battery in Immersive Virtual Reality

“…In addition, other research and clinical software were considered. For example, the Virtual Reality Shopping Task (Canty et al, 2014), Virtual Reality Supermarket (Grewe et al, 2014), Virtual Multiple Errands Test (Rand et al, 2009), the Invisible Maze Task (Gehrke et al, 2018), and the Jansari Assessment of Executive Function (Jansari et al, 2014) are nonimmersive VR software which assess cognitive functions such as executive functions, attentional processes, spatial cognition, and prospective memory.…”

Schizophrenia and prospective memory impairments: a review

“…The Virtual Reality Prospective Memory Test (VRPMT) (Man et al, 2016) is a non-immersive virtual reality test of PM. It is the Chinese version of the Virtual Reality Shopping Test (VRST) (Canty et al, 2014), which was developed to measure PM in patients with traumatic brain injury. In their study, Man et al (2016) showed that the VRPMT is a valid and reliable test, and had good sensitivity and specificity in discriminating individuals with first episode schizophrenia from healthy controls.…”

Development of Neuropsychological Measures: Personal Experience and Lessons Learnt

“…Virtual reality shopping task. The Virtual Reality Shopping Task (VRST) is a computerised measure of time-and event-based PM (Canty et al, 2014). It consists of an ongoing task where the participant manipulates their avatar within a virtual shopping centre to achieve certain tasks, while they are also required to complete time-based (e.g., to send a text message at a certain time) and event-based (e.g., press the 'T' key when you hear the word 'sale') PM tasks.…”