JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Existing concussion education programs for youth athletes typically do not result in sustained improvements in concussion symptom recognition or reporting behaviors. Virtual reality (VR) technology offers an innovative tool that may improve concussion symptom recognition and reporting behaviors among youth athletes.

Objective:

To describe the design and development of a VR concussion education application (app) intervention, Make Play Safe (MPS), and present findings on both usability and preliminary efficacy of MPS in improving concussion symptom recognition and reporting intentions among soccer athletes aged 9-12 years old.

Methods:

A collaborative user-centered design process was implemented to develop and evaluate MPS. Development occurred in three phases: 1) design and development, 2) usability testing, and 3) preliminary efficacy testing. During Phase 1, consultations were completed with six experts and five interviews conducted with youth with a history of concussion to collect feedback about the proof-of-concept. During Phase 2, a participatory workshop with 11 youth athletes and a small group discussion with six parents and two coaches were conducted to explore the usefulness and acceptability of MPS from the perspective of end users. Finally, Phase 3 included preliminary efficacy testing with 33 youth soccer athletes aged 9-12 years old to examine changes in concussion-related knowledge, attitudes, and reporting intentions from pre- to post-intervention.

Results:

Experts rated the visual and sensory features of MPS positively and noted the design and content were innovative and age appropriate. Youth with a history of concussion indicated the scenarios and symptoms portrayed in the app represented well what they experienced while concussed. Further, they stated the app would be a helpful and engaging way for children to learn how to identify and appropriately respond to concussion. The 11 healthy children in the workshop perceived the app positively, noting the scenarios were informative and engaging. Results from preliminary efficacy testing revealed significant increases in youth athletes’ concussion-related knowledge and reporting intentions from pre- to post-intervention.

Conclusions:

Results suggest VR technology may be an effective and efficient tool to equip youth athletes with requisite knowledge and skills to recognize and report future concussions. Further research is warranted.