Virtual Reality as a Tool for Eliciting Empathetic Behaviour in Carers: An Integrative Review

Empathy is an essential behavioural competency required of healthcare providers. It is included in the Canadian National Competency Profile for Medical Radiation Technologists; supporting patient-centered care and the development of therapeutic relationships between carers and care recipients. This review synthesizes evidence on Virtual Reality (VR) as a tool for eliciting empathetic behaviour in carers.

Six Electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, PsycInfo, ERIC, Academic Search Premier and CINAHL) were searched for studies published from 1997-2020. Studies with MeSH terms "Empathy" and "Virtual Reality", and conducted on adult carers, were eligible for inclusion. The Cochrane risk of bias tool guided the assessment of study quality. Prospero review registration number: CRD42020210049 RESULTS: Seven studies, with 485 carers, were included in this review. Studies were heterogeneous in terms of interventions and tools for collecting outcome measures. All seven studies demonstrated VR could elicit empathetic behaviour in carers. Studies included one randomized controlled trial, three non-randomized controlled trials, two with quasi-experimental designs, and one non-experimental design. All studies had a moderate to high risk of bias.

This review suggests that VR may be an appropriate method for eliciting empathetic behaviours in carers. Future studies employing appropriately powered multicentere randomized controlled designs should seek to determine which VR experiences are the most effective in evoking empathetic behaviours.