Development and Evaluation of an Immersive Metaverse-Based Meditation System for Psychological Well-Being Using LLM-Driven Scenario Generation

A novel immersive meditation system deployed in a metaverse environment was tested for feasibility and preliminary effects. The system includes two modules: an experience-based module with AI-driven social interactions in simulated everyday scenarios, using large language models to generate narrative content, followed by guided reflection; and a breathing-focused module with real-time breath-synchronization feedback. In a two-week, single-group study of 31 participants, validated questionnaires measured psychological distress, mindfulness, acceptance, self-compassion, and self-esteem before and after the intervention. Results provide exploratory evidence that immersive metaverse environments and LLM-based scenario generation are feasible for structured mental health interventions and may have positive psychological effects.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of mental health disorders highlights the need for innovative and accessible interventions. Although existing digital meditation applications offer valuable basic guidance, they often lack interactivity, real-time personalized feedback, and dynamic simulation of real-life scenarios necessary for comprehensive experiential training applicable to daily stressors. To address these limitations, this study developed a novel immersive meditation system specifically designed for deployment within a metaverse environment. The system provides mindfulness practice through two distinct modules within the virtual world. The experience-based module delivers AI-driven social interactions within simulated everyday scenarios, with narrative content dynamically generated by large language models (LLMs), followed by guided inner reflection, thereby forming a scenario–experience–reflection cycle. The breathing-focused module provides real-time feedback through a breath-synchronization interface to enhance respiratory awareness. The feasibility and preliminary effects of this metaverse-based system were explored in a two-week, single-group, pre-test/post-test study involving 31 participants. The participants completed a battery of validated psychological questionnaires assessing psychological distress, mindfulness, acceptance, self-compassion, and self-esteem before and after engaging in the intervention. This study provides exploratory evidence supporting the feasibility and potential of immersive metaverse environments and LLM-based scenario generation for structured mental health interventions, providing initial insights into their psychological impact and user experience.