Immersive VR tools to prevent violence among college students
Official title: SBIR, Innovative Immersive Technologies for Evidence-Based Violence Prevention among College Students
Funded at National Health Promotion Associates, INC. · NIH-11403000 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Phase II NIH SBIR project will create and test virtual reality modules to support a proven violence prevention program for college-aged students.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Health Promotion Associates, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (White Plains, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | September 29, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $615,981 |
| NIH project number | 5R44CE003173-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11403000 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are college students who participate in prevention programs and are receptive to immersive, technology-based learning.
✕Less likely to help
Students who are not interested in VR or who do not participate in college-based prevention programs may see little benefit.
What this research studies
This project will build new VR modules that supplement an already proven violence prevention approach used with college-age youth. It will adapt lessons from Life Skills Training and prior NIH and Air Force work to a college setting, focusing on self-management, social skills, and resilience. The team will test whether the VR components enhance the effectiveness of the existing program in real-world college environments. If successful, the VR modules could make prevention resources more engaging and accessible for students. The work will use evidence from prior randomized trials to inform the new VR-based delivery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If the VR modules prove effective, students may have a more engaging and accessible way to learn skills that reduce violence and substance abuse.
How similar studies have gone: Previous LST-based interventions have shown robust, positive outcomes in multiple randomized trials across age groups.
Where this research is happening
-
National Health Promotion Associates, INC.
White Plains, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Williams, Christopher — National Health Promotion Associates, INC.
- Study coordinator: Williams, Christopher
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.