Evaluating VR-Based Meditation as a Tool to Manage Test Anxiety in Academic Settings
Abigail Mcdowell, A. Khasawneh, Frank Neeley, Halley Smith
Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting September 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1177/10711813251358803 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Within-subjects experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 14 |
| Population | Graduate engineering students during exam periods |
| Intervention | 2D guided meditation |
| Measures | Test Anxiety Scale, Coping with Pre-Exam Anxiety and Uncertainty (COPEAU), Spatial Presence Experience Scale (SPES) |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Education |
| Key findings | No statistically significant reduction in anxiety scores was observed between VR and 2D guided meditation conditions. Participants reported a significantly greater sense of presence in the VR environment. The authors suggest VR may enhance immersion during meditation but that a larger sample is needed to determine its impact on anxiety reduction. |
Abstract
This study explores the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR) meditation environment in reducing exam-related anxiety among graduate engineering students. Traditional meditation can be limited by environmental constraints, while VR offers an immersive alternative. Participants (N = 14) were exposed to both VR and 2D guided meditation experiences in a within-subjects design across two exam periods. Measures included (a) the Test Anxiety Scale, (b) the Pre-Exam Anxiety Scale: using the Coping with Pre-Exam Anxiety and Uncertainty (COPEAU), and (c) the Presence Scale: using the Spatial Presence Experience Scale (SPES). While no statistically significant reduction in anxiety scores was observed between the two groups, participants reported a significantly greater sense of presence within the VR environment. Results suggest VR may enhance immersion during meditation but require a larger sample size to determine its impact on anxiety reduction.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A PILOT STUDY OF GROUP MINDFULNESS-BASED COGNITIVE THERAPY (MBCT) FOR COMBAT VETERANS WITH POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) Veterans with chronic combat posttraumatic stress disorder seeking treatment at a VA... | 2013 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual comparison group | n = 37 |
| Being present in the face of existential threat: The role of trait mindfulness in reducing defensive responses to mortality salience. | 2010 | Experimental study | |
| Neural correlates of mindfulness meditation-related anxiety relief Healthy adults with no prior meditation experience | 2013 | Within-subjects experimental study | n = 15 |
| Intensive mindfulness training-related changes in cognitive and emotional experience Community adults | 2009 | Quasi-experimental and longitudinal | n = 69 |
| Prospective examination of synthetic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine inhalation: effects on salivary IL-6, cortisol levels, affect, and non-judgment Volunteers | 2019 | Within-subjects experimental study | n = 11 |