Playing for cognition: investigating the feasibility and user experience of a virtual reality serious game for cognitive assessment in children with congenital heart disease

Abstract

Background In order to facilitate the development and implementation of innovative technology in clinical practice, it is important to understand the user experience of end-users. Virtual Reality (VR) offers the possibility to assess cognitive functioning in a dynamic environment that simulates real-world situations. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the feasibility of a VR Serious Game for cognitive assessment in school-aged children with congenital heart disease (CHD). The sub-aims were two-fold: (1) to objectively evaluate the feasibility of the VR Serious Game in children with CHD in comparison to typically developing (TD) children and (2) to explore the user experience of both groups following their interaction with the VR Serious Game. Results A total of 101 children participated in this study; 98 children were included in the final analysis (CHD: n = 54; TD: n = 47). The VR Serious Game appeared feasible for both children with CHD and TD children, with 88% children completing the innovative VR assessment without encountering any issues. There were no discernible differences in completion rates between groups. Children with CHD reported significantly lower scores than TD children on three user experience scales: Engagement, Flow and Presence. Nonetheless, the scores for Engagement and Flow were still considered "moderate to good". Both groups reported minimal adverse physiological reactions. Conclusions The findings suggested that the VR Serious Game was feasible for children with CHD and that the user experience was positive. Future research should investigate the effectiveness of the VR Serious Game compared with a conventional or digital neuropsychological assessment, prioritising the development of novel outcome measures that can better estimate and explain the impact of cognitive impairment on daily functioning.