Development and Validation of a Virtual Reality-Based Training Program for Promoting Subjective Well-Being

Virtual Reality in Cancer Care: Enhancing Knowledge and Reducing Anxiety about Chemotherapy among Patients and Caregivers

Virtual reality (VR) technology has evolved from entertainment to significant applications in healthcare and education. Despite its potential, there is limited research on the role of VR in cancer care. This study investigates VR's ability to simulate the chemotherapy process, aiming to enhance patients' knowledge and mitigate anxiety associated with chemotherapy. Utilizing a two-arm, mixed-methods pre/post-survey design, the study measured changes in patients' anxiety and knowledge before and after exposure to a VR simulation. Participants (n = 267) engaged with VR simulations or interactive 360-degree videos depicting the chemotherapy process. Data analyses revealed a significant median increase in chemotherapy knowledge post-exposure to the VR content (z = 12.511, p < 0.001). Demographic factSors significantly influenced perceptions of VR realism and usefulness (p < 0.05). Additionally, VR exposure was correlated with reduced anxiety levels and improved treatment expectations (p < 0.05). Participants with higher post-understanding chemotherapy scores considered VR a useful tool for managing anxiety about chemotherapy and recommended VR for other medical procedures (p < 0.001). These findings underscore VR technology's potential as a valuable tool in cancer treatment, suggesting it can enhance patient education and reduce anxiety, thereby improving patient outcomes during cancer therapy.

The Potential and Challenges of Virtual Reality as an Adjunctive Treatment of Depression Patients

Virtual reality (VR) is a promising supplemental or alternative approach for treating depression. Focusing on the unique affordances of VR, such as immersive therapeutic settings and uniform treatment delivery, this study explores both the current applications and future potential of VR technology in treating and assessing depression. VR provides users with an "immersive" and "presence" experience through multisensory stimulation. VR is an emerging paradigm in healthcare, particularly in psychiatric treatment, and presents compelling possibilities for its role in therapeutic interventions by facilitating realistic and controlled environments for both clinicians and patients. VR technology offers promising advancements in augmenting traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) methods for treating depression, with applications in psychoeducation, behavioral activation, and cognitive restructuring. Various VR assessment techniques including biomarkers and machine learning have been discussed in this study. Although the field remains experimental, the immersive nature of VR holds the potential for more personalized and accurate therapeutic interventions and assessments. Further research is required for definitive conclusions.

Feasibility of the virtual reality-based assessments in patients with panic disorder

Introduction

Recurrences and diagnostic instability of panic disorder (PD) are common and have a negative effect on its long-term course. Developing a novel assessment tool for anxiety that can be used in a multimodal approach may improve these problems in panic disorder patients. This study assessed the feasibility of virtual reality-based assessment in panic disorder (VRA-PD).

Methods

Twenty-five patients with PD (ANX group) and 28 healthy adults (CON group) participated in the study. VRA-PD consisted of four modules based on the key components of cognitive behavior therapy for an anxiety disorder: "Baseline evaluation module" (M0), "Daily environment exposure module" (M1), "Relaxation module" (M2), and "Interoceptive exposure module" (M3). Multiple evaluations, including self-rating anxiety scores (AS) and physiological responses [heart rate variability (HRV) index], were performed in three steps at M1, M2, and M3, and once at M0. Comparisons between patients with PD and healthy controls, factor analysis of variables in VRA-PD, changes in responses within modules, and correlation analysis between variables in VRA-PD and anxiety symptoms assessed by psychological scales were performed.

Results

All participants completed the VRA-PD without discontinuation. The ANX group reported significantly higher AS for all steps and a smaller HRV index in M1 (steps 1 and 2) and M2 (step 1). Repeated-measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed significant interaction effects for AS in M1 (F = 4.09, p = 0.02) and M2 (F = 4.20, p = 0.02), and HRV index in M2 (F = 16.22, p < 0.001) and M3 (F = 21.22, p = 0.02). The HRV index only indicated a good model fit for the three-factor model, reflecting the construct of the VRA-PD. Both AS and HRV indexes were significantly correlated with anxiety and depression symptoms.

Discussion

The current study provides preliminary evidence that the VRA-PD could be a valid anxiety behavior assessment tool.

Integral definition and conceptual model of mental health: Proposal from a systematic review of different paradigms

Global society presents a mental health scenario characterized by the prevalence of mental disorders and the limited existence of formal care services. Faced with such a context, it is necessary to review what is understood and done in favor of mental health. This implies, in the first instance, analyzing the concept of mental health from a comprehensive approach that takes into account different perspectives from the social and natural sciences, related factors, and care options. Therefore, the present work aimed to propose an integral definition and a conceptual model of mental health based on the Systematic Literature Review, with the PRISMA approach, of the theoretical frameworks of 52 articles related to mental health published up to February 2022. A qualitative approach was used, with a Grounded Theory design, which allowed comparing different paradigms and identifying gaps in conceptual notions to build an explanatory model of mental health. The results showed three dominant paradigms that circumscribe the concept of mental health. Mental health is understood as the absence of illness, positive mental health, and a state of equilibrium. In addition, the need to propose a definition that integrates these dominant paradigms was mainly identified, and that would allow a broader understanding of the state of equilibrium as the basic process through which the individual must pass in the search for personal recovery. From the comparative analysis of the categories designated according to the Grounded Theory approach, an explanatory model was proposed to define mental health as the internal process of self-care, centered on the self-awareness and self-regulation of the human being, in which the person seeks to balance their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, intrapersonal and interpersonal ones, to approach an optimal state of wellbeing and absence of mental disorders according to universal values and symptoms, and biological, social, psychological, and environmental factors.

A Pilot Study of Virtual Reality (VR) Tai Chi Program on Mental Health among Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVES

Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese martial art, has been credited for improving the physical and mental health of community-dwelling older adults. Virtual reality (VR) has developed as a therapeutic technique for improving health and well-being in older adults. Previous research on exercise-based VR interventions in older adults has focused primarily on the physical and cognitive health effects. The extent to which a program integrating the ancient practice of Tai Chi with virtual reality might benefit older individuals' physical and mental health is an unknown entity. In this pilot study, we examined potential advantages of the virtual Tai Chi program in terms of health outcomes, as well as to gather qualitative data on the barriers to VR program participation.

METHODS

We conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 5 participants who had participated at least 5 years in traditional Tai Chi.

RESULTS

Three key salient themes emerged as beneficial results of VR experiences: (1) mindfulness/ meditation, (2) enjoyment, and (3) physical exercise. Participants also reported 3 main challenges: (1) some difficulties with controllers and functions, (2) cybersickness/pain, and (3) absence of group synergy.

CONCLUSIONS

These challenges suggest further avenues of investigation for researchers in refining this approach.