Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable

XR2ESILIENCE - XR-Based Resilience Training for Stress and Mental Health in Healthcare Workers

Austria, Croatia, Germany232 participantsStarted 2026-09

Plain-language summary

This study investigates the effectiveness of an extended reality (XR) based resilience training program designed to support the mental health and well-being of nurses working in hospital settings. Nurses are exposed to high emotional, cognitive, and organizational demands and show elevated levels of work-related stress and stress-associated mental health problems. Strengthening resilience and coping capacities is therefore an important preventive approach to support nurses' well-being and sustain quality of care. The study is conducted as a pragmatic randomized controlled trial with a waitlist control group and includes approximately 232 nurses from hospitals in several European countries. Participants are randomly assigned either to an XR-based resilience training group or to a waitlist control group that continues with care as usual during the waiting period. The XR-based intervention consists of eight immersive training sessions delivered over approximately ten weeks using a head-mounted display. The training focuses on behavioral, cognitive, and emotional coping strategies and aims to enhance key resilience factors such as problem-solving, cognitive reappraisal, emotion regulation, and positive self-care. The primary outcome is perceived stress, assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale. Secondary outcomes include resilience, occupational self-efficacy, quality of life, psychological distress, burnout symptoms, coping strategies, work-related rumination, and turnover intentions. Assessments are conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and at a 20-week follow-up. In addition, a subgroup of participants will optionally provide physiological data during selected XR sessions to explore digital biomarkers related to stress and recovery. The findings of this study will provide evidence on the effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptance of XR-based resilience training for nurses and inform future implementation of digital mental health interventions in healthcare workplaces.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years – 65 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion criteria

. working as a nurse in direct patient care within a clinical setting;
. working at least 10h/week in their profession;
. speaking the language in which the RCT is conducted sufficiently well;
. able and willing to participate in all aspects of the study;
. understanding and signing the appropriate informed consent form.

Exclusion criteria

. a diagnosed severe mental disorder associated with alterations in reality perception (e.g., delusions, hallucinations, derealization, depersonalization, or dementia), including in particular schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe major depressive disorder, or other psychotic disorders (lifetime);

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1This trial hasn't started recruiting yet — do you know when it's expected to open, and whether it makes sense for me to wait for it or look into other options for managing my occupational stress in the meantime?
2The study uses extended reality, or XR, technology for resilience training — do you think I'm a good candidate for a tech-based intervention like this, given my specific situation and comfort level with that kind of tool?
3Since this is listed as Phase NA, which often means it's a behavioral or device-based study rather than a drug trial, what does that mean for what's already known about the safety and effectiveness of XR-based mental health programs for healthcare workers?
4The trial measures success using something called the PSS-10, which is a perceived stress scale — does that align with what you and I are most concerned about for my health, or are there other outcomes like burnout or sleep that matter more in my case?
5Are there already evidence-based programs for healthcare worker burnout and resilience that I could start now, while this trial is still in the pre-recruitment phase?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Perceived Stress Assessed by PSS-10

Timeframe: Baseline, 10 weeks post-randomization & 20 weeks post-randomization

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07544498

SponsorMedical University of Graz

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2028-03

Contact for this trial

Nina Dalkner Research Prof. Priv.-Doz. Mag. rer.nat. Dr. rer.nat.

+43 316 385 30081 nina.dalkner@medunigraz.at

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Occupational Stress trials