Virtual Reality Relaxation for Stress in Young Adults: A Remotely Delivered Pilot Study in Participants’ Homes

Journal article

High stress levels experienced by young adults were exacerbated by COVID-19 and traditional stress management techniques can be challenging. Virtual reality (VR) relaxation appears promising and is accessible remotely; however, research on young adults is limited, especially in naturalistic settings. This remotely delivered and controlled mixed-methods study investigated feasibility and acceptability of VR relaxation for young adults (N = 23, mean age = 22.96) at home during the pandemic. VR participants (N = 11) were asked to complete daily VR relaxation sessions (scenes of virtual beaches, mountains, the sea, and more) for a 14-day intervention period, alongside visual analogue scales (VAS) of psychological well-being pre- and post-VR sessions. Post-intervention, VR participants completed semi-structured interviews. Control participants (N = 12) received no intervention. Both groups completed outcome measures of psychological well-being pre- and post-intervention periods to evaluate feasibility of remote data collection. VAS results indicated acceptability of daily VR, with significant short-term increases in relaxation, happiness, and connectedness to nature, and decreases in stress, anxiety, and sadness within VR participants. VR usage and 100% completion of outcome measures indicated feasibility of VR relaxation and remote data collection. Qualitative findings suggest participants found the VR relaxing, but interest diminished over time and technical issues hindered user experience. This suggests a more informal, less prescriptive frequency of VR use may be more appealing for young adults, although adherence may relate to technical issues. Greater interactivity and remote technical assistance within VR could increase engagement. Future research should investigate optimal frequency of use, longer-term impact, and technical issues with a larger sample.

Authors: Riches, S; Kaleva, I; Nicholson, SL; Payne-Gill, J; Steer, N

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Springer
• Journal: Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science
• Volume: 9
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 771-783
• Publication date: 2024-03-28
• Acceptance date: 2024-01-31
• DOI: 10.1007/s41347-024-00394-x
• EISSN: 2366-5963
• Language: English
• Keywords: Trauma; Digital mental health; VR; COVID-19; Mood; Anxiety