Arabic-Language Immersive Virtual Reality Preparation for Children Undergoing MRI: Associations With Anxiety, Preparation Time, and Parental Satisfaction
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Objective: To evaluate an Arabic-language, nurse-administered immersive virtual reality preparation program (VRPP) for children undergoing elective MRI, with anxiety as the primary outcome and preparation time and parental satisfaction as secondary outcomes.
Methods and Materials: A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test study was conducted in two pediatric radiology departments in Baghdad, Iraq. Site determined study arm; 120 children aged 5–12 years were included (60 per group). The VR arm received three Arabic-language modules delivered in a single supervised session of approximately 10–15 minutes; controls received routine nurse-led preparation. Anxiety was assessed with the Venham Anxiety Clinical Scale (VACS), preparation time was recorded by the attending research nurse, and parental satisfaction was measured using an adapted 8-item scale (8–40; Cronbach’s α = .91).
Findings: Baseline VACS distributions were similar between groups (U = 1731, p = .675). After preparation, 98.3% of children in the VR group were rated relaxed, compared with none in the control group; post-preparation VACS distributions differed markedly (U = 0, p < .001). The intervention-group mean VACS score changed from 2.40 ± 0.53 to 0.02 ± 0.13. Preparation time was lower in the VR group (U = 218.00, Z = −8.341, p < .001). Parental satisfaction was higher with VR (37.83 ± 1.43) than routine preparation (17.75 ± 4.08), with a significant difference in satisfaction categories (χ²(2) = 120.00, p < .001).
Conclusion: Arabic-language immersive VR preparation was associated with lower observed anxiety, shorter recorded preparation time, and higher parental satisfaction. Because study arm was determined by hospital site, the findings should be interpreted as associative rather than definitive causal evidence.
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