Virtual-Reality-Based Neuropsychological Assessments of Everyday Functioning

Although much work is needed in this area, VE-based assessment studies are increasingly establishing norms by demonstrating significant associations between virtual environments and conventional measures. As mentioned above, the Virtual Classroom represents a VR-based neuropsychological assessment that is approaching a normative standard.

This is particularly true of Nesplora’s Aula (virtual classroom). Iriarte and colleagues (2016) developed norms for the Nesplora Virtual Classroom from a sample composed of 1,272 participants (48.2% female; age range 6–16 years, M = 10.25, SD = 2.83).

Normative findings related to omission errors, commission errors, and hit reaction time revealed that the Nesplora Virtual Classroom CPT paradigm is significantly correlated with the traditional CPT (omission errors; commission errors; hit reaction time) and was found to be more sensitive to reaction time and rate of omission errors than the TOVA. Findings from the normative study also revealed a general pattern of sex and age differences.