Brief Virtual Reality Mindfulness is More Effective than Audio Mindfulness and Colouring in Reducing Stress in University Students

A single 10-minute session of virtual reality (VR) mindfulness improved well-being and reduced stress more than audio mindfulness or colouring in university students at high risk of stress. VR mindfulness was the only intervention that significantly increased well-being, and both VR and colouring significantly reduced stress. VR produced the largest reduction in heart rate, though this change was not statistically significant. All three conditions were rated as highly engaging, with VR mindfulness scoring highest and audio mindfulness lowest. The findings suggest brief VR mindfulness sessions could be a useful tool for university mental health services, but longer-term effects need further study.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Although various multi-week mindfulness programs have been introduced for stress reduction over the past decades, there is still little evidence on the effectiveness of short, self-applied interventions. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of virtual reality mindfulness and audio mindfulness, as well as a simple colouring session. Method Sixty-seven participants were initially enrolled, with 64 remaining after exclusions. They were randomly allocated to one of three face-to-face stress management interventions: virtual reality (VR) mindfulness, audio mindfulness or colouring. Before and after the 10-min intervention, questionnaires were administered to assess differences in perceived stress, psychological well-being, and engagement. Heart rate was also measured to indicate physiological stress. Results VR mindfulness was the only intervention to significantly increase wellbeing. Both VR and colouring significantly reduced stress, with VR producing the largest reduction in heart rate, though this was not statistically significant when compared to baseline. The three conditions were perceived as highly engaging, with the highest scores corresponding to VR mindfulness and the lowest to audio mindfulness. Conclusions This study shows that a single brief session of VR mindfulness can produce short-term beneficial effects in people at high risk of stress, greater than those achieved through colouring and audio mindfulness. This suggests promising direct implications for university mental health services, although future research is needed to explore long-term benefits as well as the relative efficacy of longer interventions. Preregistration This study is not preregistered.