Preliminary Study on the Clinical Effectiveness of Short-Term Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Using Virtual Reality

Abstract

Objectives Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is known to be helpful in improving mental health.Virtual reality (VR) has been suggested to enhance the effectiveness of treatment by increasing participants' sense of immersion in cognitive behavioral therapy.This study sought to explore whether VR-based MBCT could be applied to young adults to improve their mental health. MethodsThe study included 20 young adults without a history of psychiatric disease (eight men and 12 women, mean age 30.0±3.7 years old).Three sessions of VR-based MBCT were conducted, which consisted of education on the concept of mindfulness, mindful breathing meditation, body scans, loving-kindness meditation, and attention enhancement training.Selfreporting scales on mindfulness, depression, anxiety, and addictive use of smartphones were administered before and after VR-based MBCT.Results Subjects did not show significant differences before and after VR-based MBCT on scales assessing the trait of mindfulness.In the decentering subscale of the Toronto Mindfulness Scale, which evaluates mindful state during meditation, a significant difference was observed before and after VR-based MBCT (p=0.010).Subjects also showed a significant reduction in the Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale before and after VR-based MBCT (p=0.029). ConclusionThis study did not provide sufficient evidence that short-term VR-based MBCT can effectively improve the level of mindfulness.However, this study suggests that VR-based MBCT may have an effect on decentering during meditation, even with a short period of intervention.This study also supports the need for further research on the therapeutic effects on behavioral addictions from mindfulness-based interventions.