Virtual Reality Meditation for Anxiety

Overseen By Thomas Caruso

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Stanford University

Disqualifiers: Cognitive impairment, Nausea, Visual problems, Motion sickness, Seizures, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

Duration: 1 day

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores whether virtual reality meditation can reduce anxiety and improve mood and satisfaction for adults in the hospital. Participants will either experience calming virtual reality scenes or receive no intervention. It is ideal for English-speaking patients at Stanford Health Care who are hospitalized and do not have conditions like severe motion sickness or vision problems that prevent headset use. As an unphased study, this trial provides a unique opportunity to explore innovative methods to enhance well-being during hospitalization.

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that this virtual reality meditation is safe for anxiety?

Research has shown that virtual reality (VR) meditation is generally safe for most people. Studies have found that VR can lower anxiety and boost mood without causing major side effects. In one study, participants using VR for mindfulness reported feeling less stressed and experiencing better emotional well-being.

Another study examined adults in intensive care units and found that VR reduced their stress and anxiety. Importantly, no serious negative effects were linked to VR use in these cases. This suggests that VR meditation is well-tolerated and safe for most people. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Most treatments for anxiety involve medications or talk therapy, which can take time to show results. However, Virtual Reality Meditation is unique because it immerses participants in calming virtual environments using a VR headset, offering an innovative, immediate way to address anxiety. Researchers are excited about this approach because it provides a non-invasive, drug-free alternative that can be personalized for users, potentially offering faster relief from anxiety symptoms. Additionally, the immersive experience could help users practice mindfulness and relaxation techniques in a more engaging and effective way.

What evidence suggests that virtual reality meditation is effective for anxiety?

Research has shown that virtual reality meditation can help reduce anxiety. In this trial, participants in the experimental arm will use virtual reality (VR) to experience calming scenes, which studies have found can improve anxiety symptoms in people with anxiety disorders. VR-based mindfulness exercises enhance mindfulness and meditation experiences more effectively than traditional methods. Early results suggest that even short VR mindfulness sessions can reduce depression and anxiety symptoms. Thus, using a VR headset to experience calming scenes could be a helpful way to manage anxiety in hospitalized patients. ^{2 4 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Thomas Caruso

Principal Investigator

Stanford University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for English-speaking adults aged 18-99 who are currently hospitalized at Stanford Health Care. It's designed to help those experiencing anxiety.

Inclusion Criteria

Hospitalized at Stanford Health Care

I am currently a patient at Stanford Health Care.

I can speak English.

Exclusion Criteria

I am currently experiencing nausea.

I have had seizures triggered by flashing lights.

I do not have significant cognitive issues and can consent.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Treatment

Participants are immersed in a virtual environment using a VR headset for 20-30 minutes

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for anxiety and depression using the HADS questionnaire

Immediate after intervention

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Virtual Reality Meditation

Trial Overview The study tests if using a Virtual Reality headset with calming scenery can reduce anxiety in hospitalized patients. Participants will be randomly assigned to use the VR device and their anxiety levels will be measured.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Virtual Reality Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will be immersed in a virtual environment. Calming scenery will be shown via the headset for 20-30 minutes

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

No intervention (i.e. virtual reality headset) will be applied to the participant.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Stanford University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,527

Recruited

17,430,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Virtual reality (VR) interventions significantly reduced anxiety (effect size g = 0.79) and depression (effect size g = 0.73) compared to control conditions in a meta-analysis of 39 trials involving various psychological interventions.

Despite the effectiveness of VR therapies for anxiety and depression, they did not significantly reduce treatment attrition rates, indicating that while VR can help with symptoms, it may not keep participants engaged in treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effectiveness of virtual reality based interventions for symptoms of anxiety and depression: A meta-analysis. Fodor, LA., Coteț, CD., Cuijpers, P., et al.[2019]

In a study involving 810 patients, Virtual Reality (VR) treatment for anxiety disorders showed a low deterioration rate of 4.0%, which is comparable to the 2.8% in active control conditions and significantly better than the 15% deterioration rate in waiting list (WL) controls.

The study found that socio-demographic factors did not significantly influence deterioration rates, except for marital status, where married individuals in the WL condition had a lower likelihood of deterioration, indicating that VR is a safe treatment option with similar outcomes to other therapies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Deterioration rates in Virtual Reality Therapy: An individual patient data level meta-analysis. Fernández-Álvarez, J., Rozental, A., Carlbring, P., et al.[2020]

The study employs a randomized controlled trial design with 45 patients divided into three groups to evaluate the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) in treating Generalized Anxiety Disorders, focusing on emotional regulation and relaxation.

Patients in the VR group use biofeedback to monitor their physiological responses in real-time, which may enhance their ability to manage anxiety symptoms compared to the non-VR and waiting list groups.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The use of biofeedback in clinical virtual reality: the intrepid project. Repetto, C., Gorini, A., Algeri, D., et al.[2018]

A review of 27 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) for anxiety disorders found that the overall quality of the studies was low, with an average adherence to only 2.85 out of 8 research design criteria.

While VRET appears to be an effective treatment option, the variability in study quality and the reduction in effect size for larger sample sizes suggest that caution is needed when interpreting the results and comparing VRET to standard treatments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual reality exposure therapy for the treatment of anxiety disorders: an evaluation of research quality. McCann, RA., Armstrong, CM., Skopp, NA., et al.[2022]

Virtual reality (VR) is an effective and immersive tool for treating psychiatric disorders, particularly anxiety, by providing controlled sensory stimulation in a three-dimensional environment.

The review highlights the empirical evidence supporting VR-based interventions and suggests that VR can be a convenient and cost-effective addition to traditional psychiatric treatments, with recommendations for its integration into clinical practice.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Use of Virtual Reality Technology in the Treatment of Anxiety and Other Psychiatric Disorders. Maples-Keller, JL., Bunnell, BE., Kim, SJ., et al.[2022]

Virtual reality exposure therapy for anxiety disorders is shown to be safe and effective, often matching the efficacy of traditional in-person exposure therapy.

The increasing availability of affordable virtual reality systems and the development of self-guided programs could significantly enhance access to treatment for anxiety disorders, potentially addressing mental health disparities.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Maximizing the impact of virtual reality exposure therapy for anxiety disorders. Anderson, PL., Molloy, A.[2021]

In a study of 96 young adults, those who practiced virtual reality (VR)-guided meditation reported higher positive affect and greater satisfaction compared to non-VR meditation, especially when VR was done first.

Participants with higher PTSD symptoms experienced more distress during both types of meditation, suggesting that while VR may enhance meditation experiences, individuals with PTSD may need additional support.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Meditating in virtual reality: Proof-of-concept intervention for posttraumatic stress. Mistry, D., Zhu, J., Tremblay, P., et al.[2021]

Virtual reality (VR) biofeedback significantly reduces self-reported anxiety and heart rate in individuals, based on a systematic review of 7 studies involving 191 participants, including 5 randomized controlled trials.

While VR biofeedback showed promise in lowering anxiety and heart rate compared to waiting list controls, it did not demonstrate significant differences in outcomes when compared to traditional 2D biofeedback, indicating the need for further research in diverse populations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual reality biofeedback interventions for treating anxiety : A systematic review, meta-analysis and future perspective. Kothgassner, OD., Goreis, A., Bauda, I., et al.[2022]

Virtual Reality (VR) interventions have been shown to significantly reduce symptoms of various anxiety disorders in adults, making them a promising alternative to traditional exposure therapy.

These VR treatments are generally well-accepted by clients and have minimal side effects, although caution is advised for Combat-Related PTSD in Vietnam veterans, indicating the need for further research in this area.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual reality interventions for the treatment of anxiety disorders: A scoping review. Andersen, NJ., Schwartzman, D., Martinez, C., et al.[2023]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12260462/

The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality–Based Mindfulness ... The results showed that both interventions led to significant improvements in mindfulness, stress, and affect, with the VR group showing greater ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11904249/

Effectiveness of virtual reality therapy in the treatment ... The current findings suggest that VR therapy interventions have a positive effect on improving the anxiety state of patients with anxiety disorders.

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The effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (VR) based ... VR-based mindfulness training has been shown to be more effective than conventional mindfulness – it improves levels of mindfulness and meditation experience; ...

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A brief virtual reality-based mindfulness intervention can ... This study provides preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of brief VR-based mindfulness interventions in alleviating depression and anxiety symptoms among ...

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Comparative Efficacy of Virtual Reality–Assisted Cognitive ... This trial aims to compare VR-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with yoga interventions to find effective treatments.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11526413/

Psychological and physiological health outcomes of virtual ... Psychological benefits include improved anxiety, mindfulness, emotions, disease patterns, affect, stress, (presleep) arousal, meditation and others.

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The impact of virtual reality interventions on stress and ... We included peer-reviewed studies investigating VR interventions in ICU patients aged ≥18 years to reduce stress and anxiety. Eligible studies reported outcomes ...

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Enhancing Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in a ... Results showed high concentration levels, distinct emotional responses, and unique interaction patterns in individuals with depression. While ...