| Theme: Views |
| Perceived effectiveness |
“Yeah, I think anything that would help them with the mind-body connection, like reducing their level of anxiety about the pain would be awesome.” (Parent 1) "So, for one, because I think it would be very useful because as a parent, when your child is going through chronic pain and you do everything, you go through the checklist, and you have nothing else to check off.” (Parent 11)
|
| Distraction and redirection |
“Just anything with helping them… to help them feel better… not thinking about pain all the time.” (Parent 12) "I think that getting the escape away from the body would help… I think that kind of putting on a VR headset kind of makes you feel like you’re out of your body. Yeah. And so that would make you feel like you can’t feel that pain.” (Participant 7)
|
| Theme: Barriers |
| Accessibility |
|
| Complexity |
“…making sure that it’s something that’s easy to use that a child could set up without the help of their parent.” (Parent 1) “…if you’re not technology savvy, it can be a little confusing to figure it out… there would definitely need to be some… training for parents…” (Parent 2)
|
| Overuse |
“The only barrier I see is if parents have an issue, you know, screen time or whatever.” (Participant 9) “I think you’re gonna have to sell it to the parents more than your kids.” (Parent 11)
|
| Discomfort and symptom exacerbation |
“If it causes more pain with movement or certain moves they have to do to get through the game. I think it would probably just depend on where the pain is and what type of game it is.” (Parent 4) “She says she can’t because the flashy lights give her migraine and okay, you know, to make her dizzy.” (Parent 10)
|
| Theme: Facilitators |
| Addressing financial barriers |
“Or if it’s something that insurance could even, I mean cover at some point like oh here’s this basic equipment.” (Parent 6) “If you could rent them or…, do you have to have your own system?” (Parent 12)
|
| Integrating VR technology into clinical care |
"I feel like if doctor’s offices or if it was part of pain management clinics, or again, if it was an easy, you know, if you would say like, oh, hey, there’s this app on your phone.” (Parent 6) “If she had been exposed to it here… with other kids and therapists that she knew personally… I think she would buy into it.” (Parent 10)
|
| Establishing evidence of effectiveness |
“Oh yeah, she loves it. She loves engaging with it, especially when it gets more difficult, she likes being able to challenge herself to be able to pass more difficult songs on a more difficult level” (Parent 2) “If this was research funded and there are people that applied for it… that would be great.” (Parent 8)
|
| Showcasing positive patient experiences |
"Like educational, things that she learned when she went to pain clinic that she could learn or hear or have reinforced at home would be, would be terrific”. (Parent 1) “If you show them in appointments so parents can see it’s not mindless gaming, that’d help them believe it’s useful.” (Parent 2)
|
| Theme: Program content and features |
| Relaxation and mindfulness |
“Like just to manage her pain, I don’t know, learn breathing techniques and relaxation techniques.” (Parent 3) “I guess, take your mind off of it… But if it was…just somebody either to visually walk you through something cool and amazing to like take your mind off. Kind of like what they do with like meditation.” (Parent 9)
|
| Physical activity |
“My husband had gotten a virtual reality headset and so we have one, and once he got that we started using that as part of her daily exercise.” (Parent 2) "There’s enough going on to help take the mind away from it. Yeah. And it might even make the person feel like they just maybe they got a workout in, right? Like there could be some positive. There’s going to be some endorphins and some things flowing around as a result of it. Maybe it’s enough to, you know, temporarily relieve pain.” (Parent 8)
|
| Customization |
"I think kind of like, well, even like roller coasters, I think would be fun because like that, that could be like something that they’re maybe have like a fear of or, you know, and that could help them get over the fear too and feel like they’re in control.” (Parent 7) “A way for the patients, like on their profiles to be able to create how their world is… Build their person like their avatar... To build their own theme park… These are my coping skills.” (Parent 11)
|
| Social connection |
“This would be cool. Yeah. If they could connect with other patients... like a virtual support group.” (Parent 11) “I think somebody like her age group going through the same thing. I think that would help.” (Parent 12)
|
