Immersive virtual reality or computerised mindfulness meditation for improving mood? Preliminary efficacy from a pilot randomised trial
IntroductionMindfulness interventions are effective in improving mood, reducing stress, and increasing quality of life. New developments in technology bring important channels to deliver mindfulness interventions that can increase accessibility, such as the Internet, computerised interventions, mobi...
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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 Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1157469/full |
| _version_ | 1827783565903921152 |
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| author | Costina-Ruxandra Poetar Costina-Ruxandra Poetar Nathan Bradley Alexandra Voinescu |
| author_facet | Costina-Ruxandra Poetar Costina-Ruxandra Poetar Nathan Bradley Alexandra Voinescu |
| author_sort | Costina-Ruxandra Poetar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionMindfulness interventions are effective in improving mood, reducing stress, and increasing quality of life. New developments in technology bring important channels to deliver mindfulness interventions that can increase accessibility, such as the Internet, computerised interventions, mobile apps and recently, virtual reality (VR). The aim of the present study is to enhance our current understanding of the use of VR in mindfulness, namely we examined in a pilot randomised trial the efficacy of an immersive VR-based mindfulness approach compared to an active control (computerised-based mindfulness meditation) on improving mood. A secondary objective was to examine whether VR use resulted in simulator sickness which could affect user engagement.MethodsForty-seven (Mage = 29.22 years) healthy participants were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group.ResultsA mixed 2X3 ANOVA showed a significant Time effect. Namely, negative emotions were reduced in both groups, with non-significant differences between groups. For positive emotions, on the other hand, our results showed no significant impact. Simulator sickness in VR was not present, according to t-test, making VR a safe delivery method.DiscussionFuture research should investigate VR dosage and combine VR with other interventions (e.g., blended with face-to-face mindfulness interventions, with Internet-delivered interventions). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T15:49:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a97b99c30e3b46c79090f1f9a2ee06c6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T15:49:14Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-a97b99c30e3b46c79090f1f9a2ee06c62023-10-26T05:10:41ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-10-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.11574691157469Immersive virtual reality or computerised mindfulness meditation for improving mood? Preliminary efficacy from a pilot randomised trialCostina-Ruxandra Poetar0Costina-Ruxandra Poetar1Nathan Bradley2Alexandra Voinescu3Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaThe International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaDepartment of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United KingdomDepartment of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United KingdomIntroductionMindfulness interventions are effective in improving mood, reducing stress, and increasing quality of life. New developments in technology bring important channels to deliver mindfulness interventions that can increase accessibility, such as the Internet, computerised interventions, mobile apps and recently, virtual reality (VR). The aim of the present study is to enhance our current understanding of the use of VR in mindfulness, namely we examined in a pilot randomised trial the efficacy of an immersive VR-based mindfulness approach compared to an active control (computerised-based mindfulness meditation) on improving mood. A secondary objective was to examine whether VR use resulted in simulator sickness which could affect user engagement.MethodsForty-seven (Mage = 29.22 years) healthy participants were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group.ResultsA mixed 2X3 ANOVA showed a significant Time effect. Namely, negative emotions were reduced in both groups, with non-significant differences between groups. For positive emotions, on the other hand, our results showed no significant impact. Simulator sickness in VR was not present, according to t-test, making VR a safe delivery method.DiscussionFuture research should investigate VR dosage and combine VR with other interventions (e.g., blended with face-to-face mindfulness interventions, with Internet-delivered interventions).https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1157469/fullcomputermindfulness meditationmoodsimulator sicknessvirtual reality |
| spellingShingle | Costina-Ruxandra Poetar Costina-Ruxandra Poetar Nathan Bradley Alexandra Voinescu Immersive virtual reality or computerised mindfulness meditation for improving mood? Preliminary efficacy from a pilot randomised trial Frontiers in Psychology computer mindfulness meditation mood simulator sickness virtual reality |
| title | Immersive virtual reality or computerised mindfulness meditation for improving mood? Preliminary efficacy from a pilot randomised trial |
| title_full | Immersive virtual reality or computerised mindfulness meditation for improving mood? Preliminary efficacy from a pilot randomised trial |
| title_fullStr | Immersive virtual reality or computerised mindfulness meditation for improving mood? Preliminary efficacy from a pilot randomised trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Immersive virtual reality or computerised mindfulness meditation for improving mood? Preliminary efficacy from a pilot randomised trial |
| title_short | Immersive virtual reality or computerised mindfulness meditation for improving mood? Preliminary efficacy from a pilot randomised trial |
| title_sort | immersive virtual reality or computerised mindfulness meditation for improving mood preliminary efficacy from a pilot randomised trial |
| topic | computer mindfulness meditation mood simulator sickness virtual reality |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1157469/full |
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