The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of REVISE (REalidad Virtual Inmersiva y SExualidad), an immersive virtual reality (IVR) intervention designed to promote empathy and reduce sexual harassment behaviors in heterosexual cisgender men.
The main questions that this study aims to answer are as follows.
Does experiencing gender swapping in IVR increase empathy towards survivors of sexual harassment?
Does the intervention modify attitudes toward gender roles and sexual harassment?
Researchers will compare the three experimental groups to evaluate the effects of IVR:
1. Identity Exchange Group with Exposure to Sexual Harassment: Participants embodied their partner's identity in a VR harassment scenario. 2. Identity Exchange Group without Harassment Exposure: Participants embodied their partner's identity in a neutral VR scenario. 3. Third-person Observer Group: Participants observe a harassment scenario in VR from their own perspective.
Participants will:
1. Attend one virtual reality session in a laboratory setting. 2. Undergo pre- and post-intervention assessments and a three-month follow-up. 3. Complete self-report questionnaires and physiological measures (eye tracking and pupillometry). 4. Participate in semi-structured interviews about their experiences. This study aims to explore how immersive VR embodiment can be used as a tool for gender violence prevention by fostering perspective-taking and behavioral change.
Participants must be between 18 and 39 years old.
Couples must have been in a romantic relationship for at least six months.
Both partners must provide explicit informed consent to participate.
Participants must be able to read and write in Spanish to ensure comprehension of the study materials.
Individuals with any physical condition that may hinder the use of VR equipment (e.g., epilepsy or severe motion sickness).
Individuals with a history of sexual harassment or problematic substance use, including drug or alcohol abuse.
Individuals experiencing significant mental health difficulties that require intensive treatment.
Participants with prior exposure to similar VR-based gender perspective-taking interventions.
Parallel
REVISE - Virtual Reality Gender-Swap with Harassment Exposure
BehavioralParticipants will embody a virtual avatar of their female partner in a sexual harassment scenario using full-body tracking, and identity exchange in virtual reality (VR). The goal is to assess whether experiencing harassment from a first-person perspective increases empathy and decreases tolerance toward sexual harassment.
REVISE - Virtual Reality Gender-Swap without Harassment
BehavioralParticipants will embody a virtual avatar of their female partner in a neutral social interaction scenario using VR-based identity exchange. This condition controls for the effect of perspective-taking alone, without exposure to harassment, to evaluate its impact on empathy and gender attitudes.
Change in Empathy Scores (Interpersonal Reactivity Index - IRI)
Empathy will be assessed using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), a validated self-report measure that evaluates different components of empathy, including perspective-taking and empathic concern. The IRI consists of 28 items, each rated on a 5-point Likert scale (0 = Does not describe me well to 4 = Describes me very well). The total score ranged from 0 to 112, with higher scores indicating greater levels of empathy. Cronbach's alpha ranged from .68 to .80. Participants will complete the IRI at baseline (pre-intervention), immediately post-intervention, and at a three-month follow-up to assess changes over time. Higher scores indicate greater empathy levels.
Change in Gender Role Attitudes (Ambivalent Sexism Inventory - ASI)
Gender role attitudes will be measured using the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI), which assesses two factors: hostile and benevolent sexism. We will use the brief version composed of 12 items (6 items in each factor) with Cronbach's alphas of .75 and .81. Higher scores indicate greater sexist attitudes. Participants will complete the ASI at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up to evaluate changes in gender-related beliefs.
Change in Communication Patterns (Communication Patterns Questionnaire - CPQ)
Communication patterns in close relationships will be assessed using the Spanish version of the Communication Patterns Questionnaire (CPQ). The CPQ is a self-report measure that evaluates three dimensions of communication: mutual constructive communication, communication avoidance or demand/withdrawal, and aggressive communication. Participants will complete the CPQ at baseline (pre-intervention), immediately post-intervention, and at a three-month follow-up to assess changes in communication styles over time. The questionnaire consists of 24 items, each rated on a 9-point Likert scale ranging from 1 ("Very unlikely") to 9 ("Very likely"). Higher scores indicate greater use of the corresponding communication strategy. Cronbach alpha in Spain ranged from .62 to .84.
Change in Relationship Satisfaction (Dyadic Adjustment Scale - DAS)
We will use the Spanish brief version of the DAS. It is composed of 13 items answered in a variable Likert scale and those items are grouped under three second order factors and one of first order structure. The scale in its short form presents a cut-off of 44. The higher the score the best adjustment is observed. Cronbach alpha was .83.
Change in Couple Flourishing (Couple Flourishing Measure - CFM)
Couple flourishing will be assessed using the Couple Flourishing Measure (CFM), a unidimensional self-report instrument. The Spanish validated version by Saavedra-Roa et al. will be used in this study. Participants will complete the CFM at baseline (pre-intervention), immediately post-intervention, and at a three-month follow-up to assess changes in relationship satisfaction and flourishing over time. The questionnaire consists of 16 items, each rated on a 7-point visual analogue Likert scale ranging from 1 (Distressed relationship), 4 (Satisfied relationship), to 7 (Flourishing relationship). The total score ranges from 16 to 112, with higher scores indicating greater couple flourishing. The instrument demonstrated high internal consistency reliability (α = .94).
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Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
Lead sponsor
Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain
Collaborator
European Social Fund
Collaborator
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