Adolescents’ Perceptions of Gender Aspects in a Virtual-Reality-Based Alcohol-Prevention Tool: A Focus Group Study

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) is an innovative tool for alcohol prevention among adolescents. However, many aspects of virtual simulations for alcohol prevention remained unstudied, and research on opportunities for tailoring such tools to users’ gender using avatar-based pathways is lacking. The present study, therefore, explores adolescents’ perceptions of gender portrayal and gender tailoring using Virtual LimitLab—a VR simulation for building refusal skills for dealing with peer pressure to consume alcohol. Focus groups were conducted after individual simulation testing with 13 adolescents in four groups, whose statements and discussion underwent thematic analysis. Three main themes were identified: the relevance of gender, opinions on different tailoring options for gender, and opinions on flirt orientation. Divergent arguments for different tailoring options and representations of gender in the simulation were proposed. Some participants changed opinions during discussions. Sexual harassment was consensually deemed an important issue that is linked to both partying and alcohol and was concluded to require being addressed along with alcohol prevention. A consensus also formed around open flirting possibilities (regardless of gender), and awareness of non-binary peers was raised. Based on the observed sensitivity of the adolescents to gender diversity, it is necessary to include LGBTQIA+ adolescents when developing gender-sensitive simulations.

Adolescents' perceptions and user experiences with a virtual reality-based alcohol prevention tool in Germany: A focus group study

“…Another aspect to be considered in future versions of VR simulations is the role of gender in the flirting options because some participants raised the concern that the flirting experience was not optimally portrayed. Prediger et al (21) indicate that aspects of flirting, sexual harassment, and gender issues could well be incorporated into gender-sensitive VR simulations addressing alcohol consumption among adolescents. Due to the relatively homogenous group of respondents with respect to age and prior alcohol and VR experiences, we could not identify any hints on how age or prior experiences might have influenced the perception of Virtual LimitLab.…”

“…Accordingly, four behavior change functions are represented in the application, which are presented in an overview in Table 1. While a recent cluster-randomized controlled trial could not demonstrate that the Danish VR FestLab simulation had a significant effect on adolescents' alcohol-refusal self-efficacy (20), research on the German Virtual LimitLab version has not yet addressed this issue and has instead focused on perceptions of gender in the simulation (21).…”

LGBTQIA+ Adolescents’ Perceptions of Gender Tailoring and Portrayal in a Virtual-Reality-Based Alcohol-Prevention Tool: A Qualitative Interview Study and Thematic Analysis

“…In addition, it might lead to the inappropriate homogenisation of within-group differences and exclude adolescents of gender minorities. A previous study conducted by our research group with girls and boys on Virtual LimitLab [17] indicated diverging opinions among the participating adolescents on binary gender-specific tailoring options. Participants raised awareness and questions as to how to better integrate peers with diverse gender identities into the simulation and additionally agreed with conceptualising sexual orientation in a way that is more than hetero-oriented [17].…”

“…VR can promote learning in safe environments [15] via immersion and explorative, practicebased first-hand experiences [12] with increased interactivity compared with traditional learning methods [16]. To date, a few interventions have been developed that use VR for alcohol prevention among adolescents [17], including the VR component of the Australian alcohol education program Blurred Minds, the Danish VR FestLab application, and Virtual LimitLab, which is the German version of the VR FestLab. All these interventions target the training of refusal skills and aim to increase users' resistance to peer pressure when offered alcohol.…”

“…One cluster-randomised controlled trial involving the Danish VR FestLab indicated that although refusal self-efficacy did not significantly increase, preventive tendencies were observed for girls, younger adolescents, and adolescents with low/medium levels of family affluence [21]. However, more research on virtual-simulation-based prevention is necessary in order to further develop this approach [17,21].…”