Wang Tsai-Chiao, Tsai Chia-Liang, Tang Ta-Wei
Institute of Physical Education, Health and Leisure Studies, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Department of Leisure and Recreation Management, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Front Psychiatry. 2022 Aug 16;13:880586. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.880586. eCollection 2022.
The tree density of virtual sportscape is the main factor that determines the benefits that generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) patients can obtain when they exercise with virtual environment. By using pupil size, fixation count and time as metrics, this research aimed to clarify the relationship between tree cover density and stress in the virtual environment. Ninety GAD patients were randomly grouped into the 36-60% tree density (high tree density, HTDS), 20-35% tree density (medium tree density, MTDS), or control groups ( = 30). Researchers used eye-tracking technology to analyze fixation time, fixation count and changes in pupil size to evaluate the stress changes of participants after 20 min of aerobic exercise in a virtual environment. The results showed that pupil size expanded in GAD patients after exercising in the virtual environment. Furthermore, GAD patient cycling in the MTDS group can show smaller pupil size than those in HTDS. Those results suggest that GAD patient cycling 20 min in the MTDS group can perceived lower stress. The results of eye tracking analysis showed that GAD patients spend more time and counts observing tree elements in HTDS and MTDS sportscapes. Specifically, they spent more 48% and 27% time on tree and green plants in the HTDS condition and MTDS condition, respectively, than in non-natural sportsscapes. Although 36-60% tree density of virtual natural sportscape can get more visual attention from GAD patients, 20-35% tree density of virtual natural sportscape is more capable of reducing their stress.
虚拟运动场景的树木密度是决定广泛性焦虑症（GAD）患者在虚拟环境中锻炼时所能获得益处的主要因素。本研究以瞳孔大小、注视次数和时间为指标，旨在阐明虚拟环境中树木覆盖密度与压力之间的关系。90名GAD患者被随机分为树木密度为36 - 60%（高树木密度，HTDS）、20 - 35%（中等树木密度，MTDS）的组或对照组（每组 = 30）。研究人员使用眼动追踪技术分析注视时间、注视次数和瞳孔大小的变化，以评估参与者在虚拟环境中进行20分钟有氧运动后的压力变化。结果显示，GAD患者在虚拟环境中锻炼后瞳孔大小扩大。此外，MTDS组中进行骑行的GAD患者的瞳孔大小比HTDS组的患者小。这些结果表明，MTDS组中进行20分钟骑行的GAD患者能感受到较低的压力。眼动追踪分析结果显示，GAD患者在HTDS和MTDS运动场景中观察树木元素的时间和次数更多。具体而言，与非自然运动场景相比，他们在HTDS条件和MTDS条件下分别在树木和绿色植物上花费的时间多48%和27%。虽然虚拟自然运动场景中36 - 60%的树木密度能吸引GAD患者更多的视觉关注，但虚拟自然运动场景中20 - 35%的树木密度更能减轻他们的压力。
