Validation of virtual reality as a tool to understand and prevent child pedestrian injury

David C Schwebel; Joanna Gaines; Joan Severson

doi:10.1016/j.aap.2008.03.005

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Validation of virtual reality as a tool to understand and prevent child pedestrian injury

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Validation of virtual reality as a tool to understand and prevent child pedestrian injury

David C Schwebel, Joanna Gaines and Joan Severson

Accident analysis and prevention, Vol.40(4), pp.1394-1400

07/01/2008

DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2008.03.005

PMID: 18606271

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Abstract

In recent years, virtual reality has emerged as an innovative tool for health-related education and training. Among the many benefits of virtual reality is the opportunity for novice users to engage unsupervised in a safe environment when the real environment might be dangerous. Virtual environments are only useful for health-related research, however, if behavior in the virtual world validly matches behavior in the real world. This study was designed to test the validity of an immersive, interactive virtual pedestrian environment. A sample of 102 children and 74 adults was recruited to complete simulated road-crossings in both the virtual environment and the identical real environment. In both the child and adult samples, construct validity was demonstrated via significant correlations between behavior in the virtual and real worlds. Results also indicate construct validity through developmental differences in behavior; convergent validity by showing correlations between parent-reported child temperament and behavior in the virtual world; internal reliability of various measures of pedestrian safety in the virtual world; and face validity, as measured by users' self-reported perception of realism in the virtual world. We discuss issues of generalizability to other virtual environments, and the implications for application of virtual reality to understanding and preventing pediatric pedestrian injuries.

Accidents, Traffic - prevention & control

Adolescent

Adult

Child

Child Behavior

Distance Perception

Female

Health Education - methods

Humans

Male

Middle Aged

Reproducibility of Results

Task Performance and Analysis

User-Computer Interface

Walking

Wounds and Injuries - prevention & control

Details

Title: Subtitle: Validation of virtual reality as a tool to understand and prevent child pedestrian injury
Creators: David C Schwebel - University of Alabama at Birmingham
Joanna Gaines - University of Alabama at Birmingham
Joan Severson - Digital Artefacts
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Accident analysis and prevention, Vol.40(4), pp.1394-1400
DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2008.03.005
PMID: 18606271
NLM abbreviation: Accid Anal Prev
ISSN: 0001-4575
eISSN: 1879-2057
Grant note: R49/CE 000191 / NCIPC CDC HHS
Language: English
Date published: 07/01/2008
Academic Unit: Research Administration
Record Identifier: 9984949477102771

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