Contrasting cognitive, behavioral, and physiological responses to breathwork vs. naturalistic stimuli in reflective chamber and VR headset environments.
Ninette Simonian, Micah Alan Johnson, Caitlin Lynch, Geena Wang, Velu Kumaravel, Taylor Kuhn, Félix Schoeller, Nicco Reggente
PLOS mental health March 12, 2025 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmen.0000269 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 126 |
| Population | Adult participants (N=126) recruited for a study of immersive anxiolytic experiences |
| Interventions | Breathwork Rain stimuli |
| Measures | STAI, Trail Making Test RTACC, Architex Total Speed, MODTAS, awe, ego dissolution, breath rate, openness to experience |
| Topics | Breathwork |
| Key findings | All four conditions (MindGym or VR, breathwork or rain) significantly reduced anxiety and improved cognitive performance. Breathwork produced greater reductions in breath rate than rain. Absorption predicted awe and ego dissolution, and openness to experience interacted with stimulus type to influence anxiety reduction. The authors report that anxiolytic effects generated in the MindGym maintained full efficacy when delivered via VR, with no significant differences in effectiveness or immersion between the original environment and its virtual reproduction. |
Abstract
The MindGym, a novel immersive technology utilizing a reflective chamber environment, was developed to create standardized experiential content, including anxiolytic experiences. This study examined whether therapeutic experiences originally created in the MindGym could maintain their efficacy when delivered via 360-degree recordings through virtual reality (VR) headsets. A randomized controlled trial (N=126) compared anxiety reduction, cognitive performance, and physiological responses across four conditions: MindGym and VR platforms, each delivering either breathwork or rain stimuli. Results demonstrated significant improvements across all conditions in cognitive performance (Trail Making Test RTACC, p.fdr<.001; Architex Total Speed, p.fdr<.001) and anxiety reduction (STAI, p.fdr<.001). Breathwork conditions produced greater decreases in breath rate compared to rain stimuli (p.fdr=.002). Treatment responses were moderated by individual differences, with absorption (MODTAS) predicting both awe (p.fdr=.004) and ego dissolution (p.fdr=.015), while openness to experience interacted with stimuli type to influence anxiety reduction (p.fdr=.038). The anxiolytic effects originally generated in the MindGym maintained full efficacy when translated to VR delivery, with no significant differences in effectiveness or immersion between the original environment and its virtual reproduction. These findings establish the MindGym as a viable content creation platform for immersive, anxiety-reducing experiences that can be successfully adapted to more accessible delivery systems, while highlighting the potential for personalization based on individual differences. Future research should investigate the translation of more complex MindGym-generated experiences to expand accessible anxiety management tools.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on breathwork, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 6
- The toronto mindfulness scale: Development and validation Journal of Clinical Psychology 2006
- Ego-Dissolution and Psychedelics: Validation of the Ego-Dissolution Inventory (EDI) Frontiers in Human Neuroscience June 14, 2016
- Translational Investigation of the Therapeutic Potential of Cannabidiol (CBD): Toward a New Age Frontiers in Immunology September 21, 2018
- Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal Cell Reports Medicine 2023
- A Practitioner’s Guide to Breathwork in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Journal of Mental Health Counseling 2020
and 1 more in the library