Examining virtual meditation as a stress management strategy on college campuses through longitudinal, quasi-experimental research
Behavior and Information Technology November 2, 2020 Laura Crosswell, Gi Woong Yun
College students are experiencing high stress and psychopathology, yet often avoid counseling. This project tested whether virtual reality (VR) meditation could serve as a proactive mental health intervention. Using a longitudinal quasi-experimental design with biometric feedback, the Perceived Stress Scale, and self-reports, the study found that meditation sessions were perceived as effective and led to drops in perceived stress and heart rate. However, these drops were not attributable to the meditation method itself; there was a hint that sound-only or self-guided meditation was more effective than VR meditation.