Psychoeducation on Stress and Anxiety Using Virtual Reality: A Mixed-Methods Study
Virtual reality can help individuals to manage stress and anxiety. In addition to its efficacy in reducing stress and anxiety through relaxation, virtual reality can be helpful for psychoeducation. However, to date, few studies have explored this topic. Therefore, this mixed-methods sequential expla...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/18/9110 |
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| author | Federica Pallavicini Eleonora Orena Federica Achille Maddalena Cassa Costanza Vuolato Stefano Stefanini Chiara Caragnano Alessandro Pepe Guido Veronese Paolo Ranieri Sara Fascendini Carlo Alberto Defanti Massimo Clerici Fabrizia Mantovani |
| author_facet | Federica Pallavicini Eleonora Orena Federica Achille Maddalena Cassa Costanza Vuolato Stefano Stefanini Chiara Caragnano Alessandro Pepe Guido Veronese Paolo Ranieri Sara Fascendini Carlo Alberto Defanti Massimo Clerici Fabrizia Mantovani |
| author_sort | Federica Pallavicini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Virtual reality can help individuals to manage stress and anxiety. In addition to its efficacy in reducing stress and anxiety through relaxation, virtual reality can be helpful for psychoeducation. However, to date, few studies have explored this topic. Therefore, this mixed-methods sequential explanatory study, aimed to investigate the usability, sense of presence, emotional response, and effect on learning of MIND-VR, a psychoeducational virtual experience created to offer information on stress and anxiety. Twenty healthcare workers (60% female; mean age 43 ± 10) tried MIND-VR. Psychometric outcomes served as quantitative variables, while participant interviews provided qualitative data. Results showed that the virtual reality psychoeducational experience: (a) was highly usable and satisfying; (b) increased positive emotions (i.e., happiness and surprise) and decreased negative emotions (i.e., fear, sadness) and state anxiety; (c) elicited a strong sense of presence, especially spatial presence; and (d) was practical, simple, motivating, and engaging for learning information about stress and anxiety. These findings offer promising insights into that virtual reality may be an effective tool to provide psychoeducation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:50:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a7054bcb552b4919860eb28085e73a1e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:50:11Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-a7054bcb552b4919860eb28085e73a1e2023-11-23T14:53:10ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172022-09-011218911010.3390/app12189110Psychoeducation on Stress and Anxiety Using Virtual Reality: A Mixed-Methods StudyFederica Pallavicini0Eleonora Orena1Federica Achille2Maddalena Cassa3Costanza Vuolato4Stefano Stefanini5Chiara Caragnano6Alessandro Pepe7Guido Veronese8Paolo Ranieri9Sara Fascendini10Carlo Alberto Defanti11Massimo Clerici12Fabrizia Mantovani13Department of Human Sciences for Education “Riccardo Massa”, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milan, ItalyIRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, ItalyFondazione Europea Ricerca Biomedica (FERB), 24025 Gazzaniga, ItalyIRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, ItalyIRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, 20133 Milan, ItalyFondazione Europea Ricerca Biomedica (FERB), 24025 Gazzaniga, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Human Sciences for Education “Riccardo Massa”, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Human Sciences for Education “Riccardo Massa”, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milan, ItalySpecialization School in Psychology, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milan, ItalyFondazione Europea Ricerca Biomedica (FERB), 24025 Gazzaniga, ItalyFondazione Europea Ricerca Biomedica (FERB), 24025 Gazzaniga, ItalyDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, 20900 Monza, ItalyDepartment of Human Sciences for Education “Riccardo Massa”, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milan, ItalyVirtual reality can help individuals to manage stress and anxiety. In addition to its efficacy in reducing stress and anxiety through relaxation, virtual reality can be helpful for psychoeducation. However, to date, few studies have explored this topic. Therefore, this mixed-methods sequential explanatory study, aimed to investigate the usability, sense of presence, emotional response, and effect on learning of MIND-VR, a psychoeducational virtual experience created to offer information on stress and anxiety. Twenty healthcare workers (60% female; mean age 43 ± 10) tried MIND-VR. Psychometric outcomes served as quantitative variables, while participant interviews provided qualitative data. Results showed that the virtual reality psychoeducational experience: (a) was highly usable and satisfying; (b) increased positive emotions (i.e., happiness and surprise) and decreased negative emotions (i.e., fear, sadness) and state anxiety; (c) elicited a strong sense of presence, especially spatial presence; and (d) was practical, simple, motivating, and engaging for learning information about stress and anxiety. These findings offer promising insights into that virtual reality may be an effective tool to provide psychoeducation.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/18/9110virtual realitypsychoeducationstress and anxiety managementanxietystresshealthcare workers |
| spellingShingle | Federica Pallavicini Eleonora Orena Federica Achille Maddalena Cassa Costanza Vuolato Stefano Stefanini Chiara Caragnano Alessandro Pepe Guido Veronese Paolo Ranieri Sara Fascendini Carlo Alberto Defanti Massimo Clerici Fabrizia Mantovani Psychoeducation on Stress and Anxiety Using Virtual Reality: A Mixed-Methods Study Applied Sciences virtual reality psychoeducation stress and anxiety management anxiety stress healthcare workers |
| title | Psychoeducation on Stress and Anxiety Using Virtual Reality: A Mixed-Methods Study |
| title_full | Psychoeducation on Stress and Anxiety Using Virtual Reality: A Mixed-Methods Study |
| title_fullStr | Psychoeducation on Stress and Anxiety Using Virtual Reality: A Mixed-Methods Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Psychoeducation on Stress and Anxiety Using Virtual Reality: A Mixed-Methods Study |
| title_short | Psychoeducation on Stress and Anxiety Using Virtual Reality: A Mixed-Methods Study |
| title_sort | psychoeducation on stress and anxiety using virtual reality a mixed methods study |
| topic | virtual reality psychoeducation stress and anxiety management anxiety stress healthcare workers |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/18/9110 |
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