The Impact of Multimodal Design in Virtual Reality on Mindfulness Experiences
Liyan Sheng, Yan Zhang, X. Lyu
Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Networking and Parallel/Distributed Computing June 25, 2025 DOI: 10.1109/snpd65828.2025.11254004 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Controlled experiments Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | auditory and haptic stimuli |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The authors report that VR-based mindfulness applications reduced anxiety and increased physiological relaxation across four controlled experiments, with the combination of visual and audio stimuli proving most effective. They argue that effective VR mindfulness design depends on balancing sensory stimulation with personalization for diverse user needs. |
Abstract
Mindfulness, rooted in ancient meditation practices, emphasizes present-moment awareness and non-judgmental acceptance of sensations and thoughts. While traditionally practiced through face-to-face or self-guided methods, virtual reality(VR) offers a transformative platform to enhance mindfulness through immersive, multisensory experiences. This study investigates the impact of multimodal design in VR on mindfulness through the development of Breath Planet, a VR-based application that integrates visual, auditory, and haptic stimuli.Four controlled experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of different sensory modality combinations. The results suggest that VR-based mindfulness applications positively influence anxiety reduction and physiological relaxation, with the visual and audio combination being the most effective. Findings from this research provide valuable insights into the design and optimization of VR-based mindfulness interventions, emphasizing the balance of sensory stimulation and personalization for diverse user needs.
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
Cites 5
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: A New Approach to Preventing Relapse Psychotherapy Research March 1, 2003
- An interaction design model for virtual reality mindfulness meditation using imagery‐based transformation and positive feedback Comput. Animat. Virtual Worlds May 18, 2023
- Challenges and Opportunities of Immersive Technologies for Mindfulness Meditation: A Systematic Review Frontiers in Virtual Reality April 27, 2021
- Meditation experts try Virtual Reality Mindfulness: A pilot study evaluation of the feasibility and acceptability of Virtual Reality to facilitate mindfulness practice in people attending a Mindfulness conference. PLoS One November 22, 2017
- Six views of embodied cognition 2002