A Gamified VR Exercise Approach for Advancing Emotional Health in Risk-Averse Older Women: An Interdisciplinary Examination Based on the Broaden-and-Build Theory

The aim of this study will be to evaluate the effectiveness of a gamified virtual reality exercise program in improving emotional health and subjective well-being among risk-averse older women. Specifically, the study will examine whether gamified VR exercise, compared with conventional exercise, can improve overall happiness, positive affect, and life satisfaction while reducing negative affect. The maintenance of these changes will also be assessed at a 30-day follow-up.

A two-arm, parallel, randomized controlled study with 138 participants (69 per group) will be conducted. Participants will be allocated 1:1 using a computer-generated random-number sequence. As a non-drug trial, no clinical trial phase applies. Outcome assessors will be blinded to group allocation.

The study will be conducted in psychological service centers and public and private hospitals in Tehran, Iran. After baseline assessment and eligibility confirmation, participants will be randomly allocated to the VR exercise or conventional exercise group. The intervention will include 12 sessions over 4 weeks. Outcome assessors will remain blinded to group allocation.

Inclusion: Women aged 60–80 years with high risk aversion, adequate physical health, and informed consent. Exclusion: Activity-limiting conditions, active major psychiatric disorders, epilepsy, or photosensitivity.

Intervention group: Gamified VR exercise, 12 sessions over 4 weeks, 30–40 minutes per session. Control group: Conventional balance, agility, and coordination exercises with matched frequency and duration.

Overall happiness; Positive affect; Negative affect; Life satisfaction

After completion of the baseline assessments and confirmation of eligibility, participants will be randomly allocated to the intervention and control groups in a 1:1 ratio. Simple randomization will be performed at the individual level. The allocation sequence will be generated using a computer-generated random-number sequence by a researcher who will not be involved in participant recruitment or intervention delivery. Allocation will occur only after eligibility confirmation and completion of baseline assessments to reduce allocation bias.

Due to the nature of the intervention, participants and researchers responsible for intervention delivery will not be blinded to group allocation. Outcome assessors responsible for collecting and evaluating questionnaire data at baseline, post-intervention, and the 30-day follow-up will be blinded to participants’ allocation to the intervention or control group. Participants will also be instructed not to disclose their group allocation or intervention type to the outcome assessors during assessments.

De-identified individual participant data, including baseline characteristics and primary and secondary outcome data, will be available after publication of the study results upon reasonable request from researchers. No personally identifiable information will be shared.

From 6 months after publication of the study results until 5 years after publication.

Academic and scientific researchers, upon reasonable request and approval by the principal investigator.

The data and documents will be used only for scientific and research purposes and related analyses. Applicants must provide the research purpose and proposed analysis plan. Access will be granted after approval by the principal investigator and under conditions that ensure participant confidentiality.

Requests should be submitted to Hossein Faridniya, Principal Investigator, by email. Contact telephone: +98 936 387 5989.

Requests will be reviewed by the principal investigator. The research purpose, analysis plan, and confidentiality requirements will be assessed. If approved, de-identified data will be provided within 30 days.