Meshkat Shakila, Edalatkhah Mahsa, Di Luciano Corinna, Martin Josh, Kaur Gursharanjit, Hee Lee Gyu, Park Haley, Torres Andrei, Mazalek Ali, Kapralos Bill, Dubrowski Adam, Bhat Venkat
Interventional Psychiatry Program, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, CAN.
Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, CAN.
Cureus. 2024 Jul 15;16(7):e64573. doi: 10.7759/cureus.64573. eCollection 2024 Jul.
Amidst the growing prevalence of chronic stress and its potential negative impacts on mental health, this review explores the use of virtual reality (VR) as a stress management solution, aiming to assess its viability and effectiveness in this context. A comprehensive search was conducted on MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Embase from inception until February 2024. Eligible studies were primary research papers that focused on the use of VR as an intervention to mitigate psychological stress and/or distress. We included studies where the assessment of stress levels primarily relied on self-report measures. A total of 50 studies involving 2885 participants were included in our systematic review. VR-based interventions varied across studies, implementing tools such as cognitive behavioural therapy, exposure therapy, mindfulness and relaxation, repetition tasks, and psychoeducation. The reviewed studies yielded mixed results; however, a strong indication was present in highlighting the promising potential of VR-based interventions. Many studies observed a decrease in psychiatric symptoms in participants and reported increased quality of life. Various studies also found VR to be a valuable tool in promoting stress reduction and relaxation. VR was proven useful in exposing participants to stressors in a safe, controlled way. These potential benefits appear to come with no risk of harm to the participants. Although the findings are heterogenous, there is sufficient evidence supporting the use of VR for stress management across a range of contexts and populations. Overall, VR appears to be a generally low-risk, feasible intervention for those struggling with stress.
在慢性压力日益普遍及其对心理健康可能产生负面影响的背景下，本综述探讨了虚拟现实（VR）作为一种压力管理解决方案的应用，旨在评估其在这一背景下的可行性和有效性。对MEDLINE、PsycINFO和Embase从创刊至2024年2月进行了全面检索。符合条件的研究是专注于将VR用作减轻心理压力和/或痛苦的干预措施的原发性研究论文。我们纳入了压力水平评估主要依赖自我报告测量方法的研究。我们的系统综述共纳入了50项涉及2885名参与者的研究。基于VR的干预措施在不同研究中有所不同，采用了认知行为疗法、暴露疗法、正念与放松、重复任务以及心理教育等工具。所综述的研究结果不一；然而，有一个强烈的迹象表明基于VR的干预措施具有广阔的潜力。许多研究观察到参与者的精神症状有所减轻，并报告生活质量有所提高。各种研究还发现VR是促进减压和放松的宝贵工具。事实证明，VR有助于以安全、可控的方式让参与者接触压力源。这些潜在益处似乎不会对参与者造成伤害风险。尽管研究结果存在异质性，但有足够的证据支持在一系列背景和人群中使用VR进行压力管理。总体而言，对于那些正在与压力作斗争的人来说，VR似乎是一种总体风险较低、可行的干预措施。
