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Updated: Oct 4, 2025
Developing a Virtual Reality Video Game to Simulate Rip Currents
Published on: July 16, 2020
Promoting Sports Engagement during the COVID-19 Pandemic via Virtual Reality Games
Hana Hanifah1, Yuko Ito1, Daryl Patrick Gamboa Yao1,2
1Department of Occupational Therapy, Graduate School of Human Health Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan.
Objective:
To examine sports engagement and health changes of young adults when utilizing a VR sports game and investigate the relationship between sports engagement and health.
Method:
This study used a single-group design with 20 participants, aged 19-29 years, with no preexisting health conditions. The VR game "Sports Scramble" was used thrice within a span of one week. Outcomes sought include sports engagement and health, measured through the Sports Engagement Scale (SES) and Short Form 36 (SF-36), respectively.
Results:
A significant difference (p < 0.001) was found between the pre-posttest scores of the SES. Moreover, a positive trend was observed in terms of health with a significant difference (p < 0.05) between pre-posttest scores of the SF-36's vitality dimension. There were positive correlations among the dedication and vigor subscales of the SES with the dimensions of health.
Conclusion:
This study showed the potential of VR sports games in positively influencing sports engagement and health among participants with the vigor and dedication positively influencing health. Future studies may involve the exploration of the effectiveness of VR to promote engagement and health through a randomized controlled trial with a longer timeframe and across various populations.
