Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Digital Health Research, Centre for Digital Health and Wellbeing, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy.
JMIR Ment Health. 2024 Jan 30;11:e48649. doi: 10.2196/48649.
Empirical evidence has shown that virtual reality (VR) scenarios can increase the effects of relaxation techniques, reducing anxiety by enabling people to experience emotional conditions in more vivid settings.
This pilot randomized controlled study aims to investigate whether the progressive muscle relaxation technique (PMRT) associated with a personalized scenario in VR promotes psychological well-being and facilitates the recall of relaxing images more than the standard complementary intervention that involves the integration of PMRT and guided imagery (GI).
On the basis of a longitudinal, between-subject design, 72 university students were randomly exposed to one of two experimental conditions: (1) standard complementary procedure (PMRT and GI exposure) and (2) experimental procedure (PMRT and personalized VR exposure). Individuals were assessed by a therapist before and after 7 training sessions based on measures investigating anxiety, depression, quality of life, coping strategies, sense of presence, engagement, and side effects related to VR exposure. Heart rate data were also collected.
Differences in changes between the 2 groups after the in vivo PMRT session conducted by the psychotherapist (T1) were statistically significant for state anxiety (F=30.56; P<.001) and heart rate (F=4.87; P=.01). Individuals in the VR group obtained lower scores both before (t=-2.63; P=.01; Cohen d=0.91) and after (t=-7.23; P<.001; Cohen d=2.45) the relaxation session when it was self-administered by participants (T2). A significant reduction in perceived state anxiety at T1 and T2 was observed for both groups (P<.001). After the VR experience, individuals reported feeling higher engagement in the experience than what was mentioned by participants in the GI group (F=2.85; P=.03; η=0.15), and they experienced the environment as more realistic (F=4.38; P=.003; η=0.21). No differences between groups regarding sense of presence were found (F=1.99; P=.11; η=0.11). Individuals exposed before to the VR scenario (T1) referred to perceiving the scenario recalled in-imagination at T2 as more realistic than what those in the GI group experienced (F=3.21; P=.02; η=0.12). The VR group had lower trait anxiety levels than the GI group after the relaxation session during session 7 (T2; t=-2.43; P=.02).
Personalized relaxing VR scenarios can contribute to improving relaxation and decreasing anxiety when integrated with PMRT as a complementary relaxation method.
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05478941; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05478941.
INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/44183.
实证证据表明，虚拟现实 (VR) 场景可以增强放松技术的效果，通过使人们在更生动的环境中体验情绪状态，从而降低焦虑。
本初步随机对照研究旨在调查与 VR 中的个性化场景相关联的渐进性肌肉松弛技术 (PMRT) 是否比涉及 PMRT 和引导意象 (GI) 整合的标准补充干预更能促进心理幸福感并促进放松图像的回忆。
基于纵向、被试间设计，72 名大学生被随机暴露于两种实验条件之一：（1）标准补充程序（PMRT 和 GI 暴露）和（2）实验程序（PMRT 和个性化 VR 暴露）。个体在 7 次培训课程前后由治疗师进行评估，评估方法包括调查焦虑、抑郁、生活质量、应对策略、存在感、参与度以及与 VR 暴露相关的副作用的措施。还收集了心率数据。
在治疗师进行的体内 PMRT 课程（T1）后，两组之间的变化差异在状态焦虑（F=30.56；P<.001）和心率（F=4.87；P=.01）方面具有统计学意义。VR 组的个体在参与者自我管理时，无论是在课程之前（t=-2.63；P=.01；Cohen d=0.91）还是之后（t=-7.23；P<.001；Cohen d=2.45）都获得了较低的分数。两组在 T1 和 T2 时均观察到感知状态焦虑显著降低（P<.001）。在 VR 体验后，与 GI 组的参与者相比，个体报告说在体验中感到更高的参与度（F=2.85；P=.03；η=0.15），并且他们体验到的环境更加逼真（F=4.38；P=.003；η=0.21）。在存在感方面，两组之间没有发现差异（F=1.99；P=.11；η=0.11）。在 T1 时暴露于 VR 场景的个体（T1）报告说，在 T2 时想象中回忆的场景比 GI 组体验到的场景更加逼真（F=3.21；P=.02；η=0.12）。在第 7 次课程的放松课程期间，VR 组在 T2 时的特质焦虑水平低于 GI 组（t=-2.43；P=.02）。
将个性化放松 VR 场景与 PMRT 结合作为一种补充放松方法，可以有助于改善放松和降低焦虑。
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05478941；https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05478941.
国际注册报告标识符（IRRID）：RR2-10.2196/44183.
