Michalski Stefan Carlo, Gallomarino Nicholas Charles, Szpak Ancret, May Kieran William, Lee Gun, Ellison Caroline, Loetscher Tobias
University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Virtual Real. 2023 Apr 3:1-12. doi: 10.1007/s10055-023-00759-2.
Virtual reality (VR) is a promising tool for training life skills in people with intellectual disabilities. However, there is a lack of evidence surrounding the implementation, suitability, and effectiveness of VR training in this population. The present study investigated the effectiveness of VR training for people with intellectual disabilities by assessing (1) their ability to complete basic tasks in VR, (2) real-world transfer and skill generalisation, and (3) the individual characteristics of participants able to benefit from VR training. Thirty-two participants with an intellectual disability of varying severity completed a waste management training intervention in VR that involved sorting 18 items into three bins. Real-world performance was measured at pre-test, post-test, and delayed time points. The number of VR training sessions varied as training ceased when participants met the learning target (≈ 90% correct). A survival analysis assessed training success probability as a function of the number of training sessions with participants split by their level of adaptive functioning (as measured on the Adaptive Behaviour Assessment System Third Edition). The learning target was met by 19 participants (59.4%) within ten sessions ( = 8.5, IQR 4-10). Real-world performance significantly improved from pre- to post-test and pre- to delayed test. There was no significant difference from post- to delayed test. Further, there was a significant positive relationship between adaptive functioning and change in the real-world assessment from the pre-test to the post- and delayed tests. VR facilitated the learning of most participants, which led to demonstrations of real-world transfer and skill generalisation. The present study identified a relationship between adaptive functioning and success in VR training. The survival curve may assist in planning future studies and training programs.
虚拟现实（VR）是一种很有前景的工具，可用于训练智障人士的生活技能。然而，关于VR训练在这一人群中的实施、适用性和有效性，目前缺乏相关证据。本研究通过评估（1）智障人士在VR环境中完成基本任务的能力，（2）现实世界中的技能迁移和技能泛化，以及（3）能够从VR训练中受益的参与者的个体特征，来探究VR训练对智障人士的有效性。32名不同严重程度的智障参与者完成了一项VR环境下的废物管理训练干预，该干预要求将18件物品分类到三个垃圾桶中。在预测试、后测试和延迟测试时间点测量现实世界中的表现。VR训练课程的数量因参与者达到学习目标（正确率约90%）时训练即停止而有所不同。生存分析评估了训练成功概率与训练课程数量之间的函数关系，参与者按其适应性功能水平（根据《适应性行为评估系统第三版》测量）进行划分。19名参与者（59.4%）在十次课程内（中位数 = 8.5，四分位距4 - 10）达到了学习目标。从预测试到后测试以及从预测试到延迟测试，现实世界中的表现均显著提高。后测试到延迟测试之间没有显著差异。此外，适应性功能与从预测试到后测试及延迟测试的现实世界评估变化之间存在显著的正相关关系。VR促进了大多数参与者的学习，从而实现了现实世界中的技能迁移和技能泛化。本研究确定了适应性功能与VR训练成功之间的关系。生存曲线可能有助于规划未来的研究和训练项目。
