Using multisensory virtual reality nature immersion as a therapeutic modality for improving HRV and cognitive functions in post-traumatic stress disorder: a pilot-study
Introduction: Immersive virtual reality (VR) applications are burgeoning within healthcare as they promote high levels of engagement. Notwithstanding, existing solutions only stimulate two of our five senses (audio and visual), thus may not be optimal in the sense of promoting immersion and of “bein...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Virtual Reality |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frvir.2023.1261093/full |
| _version_ | 1797635594909646848 |
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| author | Belmir Jose De Jesus Junior Léa Perreault Léa Perreault Marilia K. S. Lopes Marie-Claude Roberge Alcyr A. Oliveira Tiago H. Falk |
| author_facet | Belmir Jose De Jesus Junior Léa Perreault Léa Perreault Marilia K. S. Lopes Marie-Claude Roberge Alcyr A. Oliveira Tiago H. Falk |
| author_sort | Belmir Jose De Jesus Junior |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Immersive virtual reality (VR) applications are burgeoning within healthcare as they promote high levels of engagement. Notwithstanding, existing solutions only stimulate two of our five senses (audio and visual), thus may not be optimal in the sense of promoting immersion and of “being present”. In this paper, we explore the benefits of an immersive multisensory experience as a therapeutic modality for participants suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Methods: In addition to 360-degree videos and corresponding natural sounds, nature smells are also presented by means of a portable ION 2 scent diffusion device attached to an Oculus Quest 2 VR head-mounted display. A 3-week 12-sessions protocol was applied to a sample of 20 participants diagnosed with PTSD.Results and discussion: We report the outcomes seen from a battery of qualitative metrics, including cognitive functioning tests, psychological symptoms, severity of PTSD, and several self-reported questionnaires and heart rate variability (HRV) metrics. Results are compared not only between pre-and post intervention, but also after a 3-month follow-up period. Results suggest a decrease in the severity of PTSD, as well as improvements in processing speed and sustained attention post-intervention, but also sustained decrease in the severity of PTSD and in dissociative tendencies at the 3-month follow-up. Overall, participants rated the experience as highly immersive and produced very mild to no symptoms of cybersickness, thus corroborating the feasibility and usefulness of the proposed multisensory immersive VR tool for reducing PTSD symptoms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:23:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-95c743f8af6e49d080d4bee637f2f971 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-4192 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T12:23:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Virtual Reality |
| spelling | doaj.art-95c743f8af6e49d080d4bee637f2f9712023-11-06T16:16:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Virtual Reality2673-41922023-10-01410.3389/frvir.2023.12610931261093Using multisensory virtual reality nature immersion as a therapeutic modality for improving HRV and cognitive functions in post-traumatic stress disorder: a pilot-studyBelmir Jose De Jesus Junior0Léa Perreault1Léa Perreault2Marilia K. S. Lopes3Marie-Claude Roberge4Alcyr A. Oliveira5Tiago H. Falk6Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Quebec, Montreal, QC, CanadaInstitut National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Quebec, Montreal, QC, CanadaTraumas Côte-Nord, Sept-Iles, QC, CanadaInstitut National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Quebec, Montreal, QC, CanadaTraumas Côte-Nord, Sept-Iles, QC, CanadaFederal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilInstitut National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Quebec, Montreal, QC, CanadaIntroduction: Immersive virtual reality (VR) applications are burgeoning within healthcare as they promote high levels of engagement. Notwithstanding, existing solutions only stimulate two of our five senses (audio and visual), thus may not be optimal in the sense of promoting immersion and of “being present”. In this paper, we explore the benefits of an immersive multisensory experience as a therapeutic modality for participants suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Methods: In addition to 360-degree videos and corresponding natural sounds, nature smells are also presented by means of a portable ION 2 scent diffusion device attached to an Oculus Quest 2 VR head-mounted display. A 3-week 12-sessions protocol was applied to a sample of 20 participants diagnosed with PTSD.Results and discussion: We report the outcomes seen from a battery of qualitative metrics, including cognitive functioning tests, psychological symptoms, severity of PTSD, and several self-reported questionnaires and heart rate variability (HRV) metrics. Results are compared not only between pre-and post intervention, but also after a 3-month follow-up period. Results suggest a decrease in the severity of PTSD, as well as improvements in processing speed and sustained attention post-intervention, but also sustained decrease in the severity of PTSD and in dissociative tendencies at the 3-month follow-up. Overall, participants rated the experience as highly immersive and produced very mild to no symptoms of cybersickness, thus corroborating the feasibility and usefulness of the proposed multisensory immersive VR tool for reducing PTSD symptoms.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frvir.2023.1261093/fullvirtual realityrelaxation trainingolfactorymultisensorymental health |
| spellingShingle | Belmir Jose De Jesus Junior Léa Perreault Léa Perreault Marilia K. S. Lopes Marie-Claude Roberge Alcyr A. Oliveira Tiago H. Falk Using multisensory virtual reality nature immersion as a therapeutic modality for improving HRV and cognitive functions in post-traumatic stress disorder: a pilot-study Frontiers in Virtual Reality virtual reality relaxation training olfactory multisensory mental health |
| title | Using multisensory virtual reality nature immersion as a therapeutic modality for improving HRV and cognitive functions in post-traumatic stress disorder: a pilot-study |
| title_full | Using multisensory virtual reality nature immersion as a therapeutic modality for improving HRV and cognitive functions in post-traumatic stress disorder: a pilot-study |
| title_fullStr | Using multisensory virtual reality nature immersion as a therapeutic modality for improving HRV and cognitive functions in post-traumatic stress disorder: a pilot-study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using multisensory virtual reality nature immersion as a therapeutic modality for improving HRV and cognitive functions in post-traumatic stress disorder: a pilot-study |
| title_short | Using multisensory virtual reality nature immersion as a therapeutic modality for improving HRV and cognitive functions in post-traumatic stress disorder: a pilot-study |
| title_sort | using multisensory virtual reality nature immersion as a therapeutic modality for improving hrv and cognitive functions in post traumatic stress disorder a pilot study |
| topic | virtual reality relaxation training olfactory multisensory mental health |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frvir.2023.1261093/full |
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