Utility of a Virtual Reality Resident Training on Behavioral Health Anticipatory Guidance: Development and Usability Study (Preprint)
BACKGROUND Behavioral health disorders have steadily increased and been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Though behavioral health disorders can be successfully mitigated with early implementation of evidence-based parent management strategies, education for pediatric residents on behavioral health anticipatory guidance has been limited to date with training challenges compounded by the physical distancing requirements of COVID-19. Virtual reality (VR) simulations provide an opportunity to train residents on this complex competency by allowing deliberate practice of necessary skills while adhering to current social distancing guidelines. OBJECTIVE This study explored the usability and utility of a VR-based behavioral health anticipatory guidance (BHAG) curriculum for pediatric residents. METHODS This mixed-methods study included fourteen postgraduate third-year pediatric residents who completed the BHAG VR curriculum. Residents completed the MEC Spatial Presence Questionnaire to assess immersion in the virtual environment. Semi-structured interviews were used to elucidate residents’ perspectives on the curriculum’s content and format. The interviews were analyzed using conventional content analysis. RESULTS Quantitatively, residents reported a high degree of immersion, spatial presence, and cognitive involvement. Qualitatively, two themes emerged from the data: 1) the curriculum expands behavioral health anticipatory guidance and motivational interviewing knowledge and skills and 2) VR technology is uniquely positioned to develop competence. CONCLUSIONS Pilot data indicates that VR may be an effective tool to teach pediatric residents behavioral health anticipatory guidance meeting a current gap in medical education training. This VR curriculum is particularly relevant in the context of COVID-19 given the increased behavioral health concerns of families. CLINICALTRIAL n/a