Banca de DEFESA: SAMARA KATIANE ROLIM DE OLIVEIRA

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : SAMARA KATIANE ROLIM DE OLIVEIRA
DATE: 01/08/2025
TIME: 09:00
LOCAL: Remoto
TITLE:

ANALYSIS OF A SERIOUS IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL REALITY
GAME AND THE PRESENCE OF CYBERSICKNESS IN
HEALTHY YOUNG PEOPLE

KEY WORDS:

Immersive Virtual Reality; Serious Games; Postural
Balance; Cybersickness.

PAGES: 100
BIG AREA: Ciências da Saúde
AREA: Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional
SUMMARY:

Introduction: The increasing advancement of scientific knowledge has
enabled individuals to engage in a wide range of activities through
technological resources. Among these, immersive virtual reality (IVR)
stands out for its potential to enhance neuroplasticity and serve as a
facilitator in physical therapy interventions. IVR allows complete
immersion in a virtual environment; however, such immersion may
lead to the emergence of adverse effects. These effects, collectively
referred to as cybersickness (CS), are typically manifested through
symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and disorientation. Objective: To
analyze the immersive serious game VIRTUALTER, designed for the
rehabilitation of seated postural balance, and to evaluate the presence of
cybersickness symptoms in healthy young adults following its use.
Methodology: This experimental study employed an intentional non-
probability sampling strategy. Thirty-two healthy young participants
underwent pre- and post-immersion assessments while engaging with
the IVR version of VIRTUALTER, delivered through the Oculus Meta
Quest 2 headset. The following assessment instruments were used: a
sociodemographic questionnaire; the Motion Sickness Susceptibility
Questionnaire (MSSQ); the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ);
the Presence Questionnaire (PQ); the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI); the System Usability Scale (SUS); and an adapted Game
Content Dimensions Validation Questionnaire. Statistical analysis:
Data distribution was verified using the Shapiro–Wilk test. Descriptive
statistics were reported as means and standard deviations or as medians
and interquartile ranges (Q1–Q3) for continuous variables, and as
absolute and relative frequencies for categorical variables.
Comparisons of total SSQ post-immersion scores between gender
groups and between participants with and without prior IVR experience
were conducted using the Mann–Whitney U test, with rank-biserial
correlation (r) used to estimate effect size. The Wilcoxon signed-rank
test was used to compare pre- and post-immersion SSQ scores. The
Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (ρ) was used to explore the
association between SSQ post-immersion and MSSQ scores. Results:
Among the participants, 65% were female, and 53% reported no
previous experience with virtual reality. Median scores were 135 for
the PQ and 142 for the IMI. The SUS yielded a median score of 93.75,
and the specific domains assessed by the Game Dimensions
questionnaire exhibited near-maximal median scores. No significant
difference was found in SSQ post-immersion scores between genders
(p = .628); however, a significant difference was observed between
participants with and without prior IVR experience (p = .027). A
moderate, statistically significant correlation was identified between
SSQ post-immersion scores and MSSQ scores (ρ = .411, p = .019).
Conclusion: The findings indicate that the VIRTUALTER IVR game
does not elicit severe cybersickness symptoms in the investigated
population. The results also suggest that the game effectively promotes
user motivation, presence, and immersion. From both usability and
content validation perspectives, the outcomes were favorable.
Nonetheless, the emergence of CS symptoms remains a challenge in the
context of rehabilitation, especially regarding the integration of IVR
into clinical environments.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Externa à Instituição - CANDICE SIMOES PIMENTA DE MEDEIROS
Presidente - 2374822 - FABRICIA AZEVEDO DA COSTA CAVALCANTI
Externo ao Programa - 1763991 - RUMMENIGGE RUDSON DANTAS - null