Leveraging virtual humans to effectively prepare learners for stressful interpersonal experiences

Area of Science:

• Medical Education Simulation
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Psychophysiology

Background:

• Preparing for stressful interpersonal experiences is challenging.
• Virtual humans offer a safe environment for exposure to such scenarios.
• This study investigates the impact of virtual humans on learner stress during simulated medical training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how the presence of a virtual human affects learner stress and performance.
• To assess physiological and behavioral responses to virtual human interaction in a stressful simulation.
• To understand the relationship between prior experience and stress response in virtual human-augmented training.

Main Methods:

• A between-subjects study involving 26 fourth-year medical students.
• Participants practiced a prostate exam on a simulator, with one group using a virtual human-augmented simulator.
• Stress and engagement were measured using self-reported, behavioral, and physiological metrics (skin conductance).

Main Results:

• Participants interacting with a virtual human experienced significantly higher stress, measured by skin conductance.
• Higher stress levels correlated with more prior experience performing real prostate exams.
• Virtual human interaction led to greater engagement; non-stressed participants performed better, while stressed participants interacted more realistically.

Conclusions:

• Virtual human-induced stress is linked to previous real-world stressful experiences.
• Learner's prior experience is a critical factor when designing virtual human training for stressful interpersonal situations.
• Virtual humans can effectively evoke stress, but their implementation requires consideration of individual experience levels.