The goal of this study is to learn whether a virtual reality experience about homelessness, used together with talks from people with lived experience of homelessness, can improve empathy and attitudes toward people experiencing homelessness in undergraduate medical sciences students. The main questions it aims to answer are:
The study hypothesis was that students who completed the virtual reality experience before hearing from the lived-experience speakers would show greater improvement in attitudes toward people experiencing homelessness, as measured by the Attitudes Toward Homelessness Inventory and the Health Professionals' Attitudes Toward the Homeless Inventory, than students who heard from the speakers without prior virtual reality exposure. The study also hypothesized that students who completed the virtual reality experience first would report greater engagement with the lived-experience speaker talks.
Researchers compared two groups of undergraduate medical sciences students. One group completed the virtual reality experience before hearing from guest speakers with lived experience of homelessness. The other group heard from the guest speakers first and completed the virtual reality experience after the post-intervention survey. Researchers compared the groups to see whether completing virtual reality before the speaker session led to greater changes in students' empathy, perspective-taking, and attitudes toward people experiencing homelessness. Participants completed online surveys before and after the educational sessions.
Students were invited to take part in focus group discussions about the virtual reality experience, guest speakers, empathy, and learning
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Participants in this arm completed the We Live Here virtual reality simulation before attending the lived-experience speaker session. The simulation placed students in the perspective of a person experiencing homelessness and was intended to provide an immersive introduction to the topic. One week later, participants heard from guest speakers with lived experience of homelessness. Participants completed baseline and post-intervention surveys assessing empathy, perspective-taking, and attitudes toward people experiencing homelessness, and were invited to participate in focus group discussions.
Participants in this arm attended the lived-experience speaker session without prior exposure to the We Live Here virtual reality simulation. The speaker session included guest speakers who shared personal experiences of homelessness and responded to student questions. Participants completed baseline and post-intervention surveys assessing empathy, perspective-taking, and attitudes toward people experiencing homelessness. After the post-intervention survey, participants completed the We Live Here virtual reality simulation as delayed exposure, so that all students had access to the same educational activity. Participants were also invited to participate in focus group discussions.
London, Ontario, Canada
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