Evaluation of Executive Function With Virtual Reality Among People With Schizophrenia

Background: Schizophrenia often reflect by decrease in executive functions that may cause difficulty in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). We've found it very difficult to simulate these functions with the existing tools in the clinic and to assess IADL accordingly. The use of Virtual Reality (VR) became popular in the last decade to overcome these limitations in clinical practice and assessment of functioning in IADL. VR is a computer program that simulates a functional environment in which the subject impacts on events through various actions. Recent studies indicated that VR can be used to assess cognitive abilities and functioning of population with schizophrenia. As far as we know, no researches were performed using Virtual Interactive Shopping (VIS) in this population, nor did dynamic evaluation was used to identify potential learning abilities. The aim of this study is to examine the validity of the shopping task in the VIS, performed statically and dynamically, in order to assess executive function, and the ability to reflect cognitive, functional and participation ability among people that diagnosed with schizophrenia. Method: This Cross-sectional Study Included Patients that diagnosed with schizophrenia, aged 18-55, 20 of which hospitalized in mental health department and 20 in medical follow-up. Different test will be administered, in two or three sessions, to evaluate cognitive ability, function ability and participation. The results of the VIS shopping task performance (statically \& dynamically) and its correlation with the cognitive and function tests as well as the participation questionnaire will be examined. These findings will indicate whether the shopping task is valid to assess executive functions for people with schizophrenia and whether it is ecologically valid.