Abstract
Technologies that immerse users in virtual and augmented realities are becoming more common in physical activity and sport settings. Immersive technologies may be an effective tool for developing fitness-related outcomes in children and youth. Purpose: To compile peer-reviewed empirical articles and report on the effectiveness of immersive technologies in developing fitness-related outcomes in children and youth. Methods: Education resources information centre (ERIC), SPORTDiscus, and Child Development & Adolescent Studies databases were searched using keywords for immersive technologies (i.e., augmented reality, virtual reality) and the outcomes of interest (i.e., skill- and health-related components of fitness, physical activity, exercise). Pertinent information from the relevant articles (e.g., study design, findings) was charted and emerging themes were summarized. Results: The database search yielded 19 relevant articles. 15 reported positive effects of immersive technologies on fitness-related outcomes and four articles reported no effect. Charting of these articles revealed considerable variability in the technologies considered to be immersive. Many of the articles used low- or non-immersive technologies such as Xbox Kinect and Nintendo Wii as interventions. Charting also revealed frequent use of immersive technologies in developing skill-related components of fitness in children and youth with motor and cognitive impairments. Articles that studied non-impaired children and youth most often evaluated the effectiveness of immersive technologies in improving daily physical activity behaviours. Charting further revealed a paucity of, and considerable need for research on whether immersive technologies are effective in developing skill-related components of fitness in non-impaired children. Conclusions: Immersive technologies can be effective in developing fitness-related outcomes in children and youth; however, more research is required to evaluate the effectiveness of high and full immersion technologies in developing skill-related components of fitness in non-impaired children and youth.
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