Pilot Randomized Controlled Study on the Effectiveness of a Virtual Reality-Based Dementia Prevention Program Using Self-Regulated Learning Strategies among Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Background/Objectives: Taiwan has become a super-aged society, presenting considerable public health challenges associated with dementia. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been identified as an optimal window for cognitive training interventions to delay dementia progression. This study examined the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR)-based dementia prevention program, specifically designed based on self-regulated learning (SRL) principles to enhance dementia knowledge, health literacy, and self-efficacy among older adults with MCI. Methods: A pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with 60 older adults aged 65 and above with MCI. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group, which received a VR-based dementia prevention program, or a comparison group, which received routine paper-based educational materials. Results: The experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in overall dementia knowledge and all subdomains. Significant gains were also observed in critical health literacy and self-efficacy, though no significant changes were found in overall health literacy. Conclusions: The preliminary findings suggest that the SRL-informed VR program showed initial effectiveness in enhancing dementia knowledge, critical health literacy, and self-efficacy among older adults with MCI, highlighting its potential as an innovative approach to dementia prevention education.