Examining virtual meditation as a stress management strategy on college campuses through longitudinal, quasi-experimental research
Laura Crosswell, Gi Woong Yun
Behaviour and Information Technology November 2, 2020 DOI: 10.1080/0144929x.2020.1838609 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal quasi-experimental Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | College students |
| Interventions | VR meditation self-guided meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Education |
| Key findings | Meditation sessions reduced perceived stress and heart rate, but the drops were not attributable to the meditation method; sound-only or self-guided meditation appeared more effective than VR meditation. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT Levels of student stress and psychopathology are greater than ever before and the need for mental health support is increasing. Because students themselves are often reluctant to seek out counselling and/or treatment [Eisenberg, D., E. Golberstein, and S. E. Gollust. 2007a. “Help-seeking and access to mental health care in a university student population.” Medical Care 45 (7): 594–601. doi:10.1097/MLR.0b013e31803bb4c1], preemptive interventions that proactively address personal well-being are necessary. Virtual Reality (VR) tools may provide a unique opportunity to promote student health through an affordable and immersive meditative platform. This project examines the effectiveness of VR meditation and immersive mindfulness through a longitudinal quasi-experimental research design. Biometric feedback, combined with Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS) and participant self-reports, informs the potential for VR interventions on college campuses. Results indicated that VR could be an effective intervention method; meditation sessions were perceived as effective and outcome measurements from the meditation sessions showed meaningful influence. Both CPSS and heart rate dropped due to meditation. However, the drops were not attributable to meditation methods. There was a hint that sound only or self-guided meditation was more effective than VR meditation method.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Virtual Reality as an Interactive Tool for the Implementation of Mindfulness in University Settings: A Systematic Review Multimodal Technologies and Interaction October 11, 2024
- Impact of Pyramid Meditation On Anxiety and Stress Among Youth International Journal of Life Science and Pharma Research June 13, 2023
- The impact of virtual reality meditation on college students’ exam performance Smart Learning Environments October 16, 2021
Cites 18
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
and 13 more in the library