Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2021 Feb;27(2):181-196. doi: 10.1017/S1355617720000764. Epub 2020 Aug 10.
The assessment of cognitive functions such as prospective memory, episodic memory, attention, and executive functions benefits from an ecologically valid approach to better understand how performance outcomes generalize to everyday life. Immersive virtual reality (VR) is considered capable of simulating real-life situations to enhance ecological validity. The present study attempted to validate the Virtual Reality Everyday Assessment Lab (VR-EAL), an immersive VR neuropsychological battery, against an extensive paper-and-pencil neuropsychological battery.
Forty-one participants (21 females) were recruited: 18 gamers and 23 non-gamers who attended both an immersive VR and a paper-and-pencil testing session. Bayesian Pearson's correlation analyses were conducted to assess construct and convergent validity of the VR-EAL. Bayesian t-tests were performed to compare VR and paper-and-pencil testing in terms of administration time, similarity to real-life tasks (i.e., ecological validity), and pleasantness.
VR-EAL scores were significantly correlated with their equivalent scores on the paper-and-pencil tests. The participants' reports indicated that the VR-EAL tasks were significantly more ecologically valid and pleasant than the paper-and-pencil neuropsychological battery. The VR-EAL battery also had a shorter administration time.
The VR-EAL appears as an effective neuropsychological tool for the assessment of everyday cognitive functions, which has enhanced ecological validity, a highly pleasant testing experience, and does not induce cybersickness.
评估认知功能，如前瞻性记忆、情景记忆、注意力和执行功能，可以采用更符合生态有效性的方法，从而更好地理解绩效结果如何推广到日常生活中。沉浸式虚拟现实（VR）被认为能够模拟现实生活情境，从而提高生态有效性。本研究试图验证沉浸式 VR 神经心理学测试实验室（VR-EAL），这是一种沉浸式 VR 神经心理学测试工具，与广泛的纸笔神经心理学测试工具进行对比。
共招募了 41 名参与者（21 名女性）：18 名游戏玩家和 23 名非游戏玩家，他们都参加了沉浸式 VR 和纸笔测试。采用贝叶斯 Pearson 相关分析评估 VR-EAL 的结构和收敛效度。采用贝叶斯 t 检验比较 VR 和纸笔测试在管理时间、与真实生活任务的相似性（即生态有效性）和愉悦度方面的差异。
VR-EAL 评分与纸笔测试的等效评分显著相关。参与者的报告表明，VR-EAL 任务在生态有效性、愉悦度方面明显优于纸笔神经心理学测试，且管理时间更短。
VR-EAL 似乎是一种有效的日常认知功能评估神经心理学工具，具有增强的生态有效性、高度愉悦的测试体验，且不会引起网络眩晕。
