Using Virtual Reality to Train Children in Pedestrian Safety

描述(申请人提供)：行人伤害是美国7-8岁儿童儿童受伤和死亡的主要原因之一，但现有的以行为为导向的干预措施只取得了不大的成功。现有干预措施的一个局限性是，它们不能为儿童提供发展安全行人活动所需的复杂感知和认知技能所需的重复练习。虚拟现实(VR)为儿童提供了一种非常有前途的行人安全技能培训技术。VR允许重复进行无人监督的练习，而不会有受伤的风险；自动向儿童反馈过马路的成功或失败；调整交通密度和速度以适应儿童的技能水平；以及有一个吸引人的和有趣的训练环境。这项拟议的研究旨在测试虚拟现实作为训练儿童行人安全过马路行为的工具的有效性。一项随机对照试验将在4个大小相等的7-8岁儿童组(总计N=240)中进行。其中一组将在互动和身临其境的虚拟行人环境中接受培训。已经开发的虚拟环境已经被证明具有面向、构建和收敛的有效性。第二组将通过视频和计算机策略接受行人安全培训，这是目前美国学校最广泛使用的策略。第三组将在街边地点接受被认为是目前最有效的治疗，个性化的行为训练。第四组也是最后一组将作为非接触对照组。在基线访问和干预后访问期间，以及在为期六个月的后续评估期间，所有组的所有参与者都将接受一系列基于现场和实验室的行人技能测量。初步分析将通过线性混合模型进行，旨在测试四个干预组随时间的变化。公共卫生相关性：行人伤害是美国7-8岁儿童儿童死亡的主要原因之一。该项目将研究虚拟现实作为训练儿童安全行人行为的手段的有效性。研究结果将对儿童行人伤害的预防具有重要意义。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Pedestrian injuries are among the leading causes of pediatric injury and mortality in American children ages 7-8, but existing behavior-oriented interventions achieve only modest success. One limitation to existing interventions is that they fail to provide children with the repeated practice needed to develop the complex perceptual and cognitive skills required for safe pedestrian activity. Virtual reality (VR) offers a highly promising technique to train children in pedestrian safety skills. VR permits repeated unsupervised practice without risk of injury; automated feedback to children on success or failure in crossings; adjustment of traffic density and speed to match children's skill level; and an appealing and fun environment for training. The proposed research is designed to test the efficacy of virtual reality as a tool to train child pedestrians in safe street-crossing behavior. A randomized controlled trial will be conducted with four equal-sized groups of children ages 7-8 (total N = 240). One group will receive training in an interactive and immersive virtual pedestrian environment. The virtual environment, already developed, has been demonstrated to have face, construct, and convergent validity. The second group will receive pedestrian safety training via video and computer strategies that are most widely used in American schools today. The third group will receive what is judged to be the most efficacious treatment currently available, individualized behavioral training at street side locations. The fourth and final group will serve as a no-contact control group. All participants in all groups will be exposed to a range of field- and laboratory-based measures of pedestrian skill during baseline and post-intervention visits, as well as during a six-month follow-up assessment. Primary analyses will be conducted through linear mixed models designed to test change over time in the four intervention groups. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Pedestrian injuries are among the leading cause of pediatric mortality for American children ages 7-8. This project will study the efficacy of virtual reality as a means to train children in safe pedestrian behavior. Results will have significant implications for child pedestrian injury prevention.