Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Jan 10, 2023
Open Peer Review Period: Jan 10, 2023 - Mar 7, 2023
Date Accepted: Feb 12, 2024
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Virtual Reality to Support Mindfulness Skills Practice in Mood and Anxiety Disorders: Mixed Methods Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Virtual reality (VR) has been proposed as a technology to support mindfulness practice, through promoting increased engagement and presence. The proposed benefits of this technology have been largely unexamined with clinical populations. Further research is required to understand its clinical potential and utility in improving and managing mental health symptoms.
Objective:
This study aimed to investigate the effects of a single brief VR supported mindfulness practice on individuals with a mood or anxiety disorder and to explore the potential uses of this technology as a mental health self-management tool.
Methods:
This mixed methods study recruited 28 participants with a primary diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BD), or an anxiety disorder. Participants completed a mindfulness practice wearing a VR headset presenting omnidirectional video of a forest scene, which was overlaid with a guided audio voiceover. Before and after the practice, measures were completed assessing state mindfulness (Toronto Mindfulness Scale, TMS), affect (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, PANAS), and anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Y-1, STAI-Y). Semi-structured interviews were then held enquiring about the user experience, analysed using thematic analysis.
Results:
After completing the VR-supported mindfulness practice, both measures of state mindfulness on the TMS, mean Curiosity and Decentering, increased significantly (Cohen’s d =1.3 and 1.51 respectively). Negative affect on the PANAS (Cohens’ d = .62) and STAI-Y trait anxiety (Cohen’s d = .84) significantly reduced. There was no significant change in positive affect (Cohen’s d =.29). Qualitative analysis of interviews identified 14 themes across five primary categories. Results suggested that being mindful during use of the app was experienced as relatively effortless due to the visual and immersive element. It was also experienced as convenient and safe, including compared with prior traditional experiences of mindfulness. Participants also identified uses for VR-supported mindfulness in managing emotions and symptoms of mental illness.
Conclusions:
Results suggest that VR-supported mindfulness can be used to improve emotional states and manage mental health symptoms. It offers potential clinical applications for those with mood or anxiety disorders. Clinical Trial: N/A
Citation
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