IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i9p5265-d802518.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • Christina Prediger

    (Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Health and Nursing Science, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany)

  • Robert Hrynyschyn

    (Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Health and Nursing Science, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany)

  • Iasmina Iepan

    (Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Health and Nursing Science, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany)

  • Christiane Stock

    (Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Health and Nursing Science, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
    Unit for Health Promotion Research, University of Southern Denmark, Degnevej 14, 6705 Esbjerg, Denmark)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Christina Prediger & Robert Hrynyschyn & Iasmina Iepan & Christiane Stock, 2022. "Adolescents’ Perceptions of Gender Aspects in a Virtual-Reality-Based Alcohol-Prevention Tool: A Focus Group Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-17, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:9:p:5265-:d:802518
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/9/5265/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/9/5265/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Julie Dalgaard Guldager & Satayesh Lavasani Kjær & Ulrike Grittner & Christiane Stock, 2022. "Efficacy of the Virtual Reality Intervention VR FestLab on Alcohol Refusal Self-Efficacy: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-18, March.
    2. Julie Dalgaard Guldager & Satayesh Lavasani Kjær & Patricia Lyk & Timo Dietrich & Sharyn Rundle-Thiele & Gunver Majgaard & Christiane Stock, 2020. "User Experiences with a Virtual Alcohol Prevention Simulation for Danish Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-14, September.
    3. Mathilde Cecchini, 2019. "Reinforcing and Reproducing Stereotypes? Ethical Considerations When Doing Research on Stereotypes and Stereotyped Reasoning," Societies, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-13, November.
    4. Lotte Vallentin-Holbech & Julie Dalgaard Guldager & Timo Dietrich & Sharyn Rundle-Thiele & Gunver Majgaard & Patricia Lyk & Christiane Stock, 2020. "Co-Creating a Virtual Alcohol Prevention Simulation with Young People," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-12, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhidiankui Xu & Yu Wu & Yixi Bao & Jiawei Li & Zhengzhong Zhou, 2023. "Using Co-Design to Explore New Trends in Future Kitchen Designs: An Exploratory Workshop Study of College Students in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-22, January.
    2. Julie Dalgaard Guldager & Satayesh Lavasani Kjær & Ulrike Grittner & Christiane Stock, 2022. "Efficacy of the Virtual Reality Intervention VR FestLab on Alcohol Refusal Self-Efficacy: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Christina Prediger & Katherina Heinrichs & Hürrem Tezcan-Güntekin & Gertraud Stadler & Laura Pilz González & Patricia Lyk & Gunver Majgaard & Christiane Stock, 2023. "LGBTQIA+ Adolescents’ Perceptions of Gender Tailoring and Portrayal in a Virtual-Reality-Based Alcohol-Prevention Tool: A Qualitative Interview Study and Thematic Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-20, February.
    4. Ingfrid Mattingsdal Thorjussen & Terese Wilhelmsen, 2019. "Ethics in Categorizing Ethnicity and Disability in Research with Children," Societies, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-15, December.
    5. Yannick van Hierden & Timo Dietrich & Sharyn Rundle-Thiele, 2021. "Designing an eHealth Well-Being Program: A Participatory Design Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-16, July.
    6. José Jesús Gázquez Linares & Ana Belén Barragán Martín & María del Mar Molero Jurado & María del Mar Simón Márquez & María del Carmen Pérez-Fuentes & África Martos Martínez & Rosa María Del Pino Salva, 2023. "Perception of Parental Attitudes and Self-Efficacy in Refusing Alcohol Drinking and Smoking by Spanish Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-17, January.
    7. Julie Dalgaard Guldager & Satayesh Lavasani Kjær & Patricia Lyk & Timo Dietrich & Sharyn Rundle-Thiele & Gunver Majgaard & Christiane Stock, 2020. "User Experiences with a Virtual Alcohol Prevention Simulation for Danish Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-14, September.
    8. Hongqidi Li & Wenyi Dong & Zhimeng Wang & Nuo Chen & Jianping Wu & Guangxin Wang & Ting Jiang, 2021. "Effect of a Virtual Reality-Based Restorative Environment on the Emotional and Cognitive Recovery of Individuals with Mild-to-Moderate Anxiety and Depression," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-30, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:9:p:5265-:d:802518. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.