Effects of Restorative Environment and Presence on Anxiety and Depression Based on Interactive Virtual Reality Scenarios

Abstract

Anxiety and depression have been growing global mental health problems. The following studies explored the effect of interactive VR scenarios to find a low-cost and high-efficiency solution. Study 1 designed a 2 (anxiety and depression state) ×4 (interactive VR scenarios) experiment, the results of 20 participants showed that the designed scenarios had good restoration and presence, assisting to improve depression mood for people with mild to moderate anxiety and depression. Study 2 further investigated the intervention effects of two environment types (urban and park) and four interactive activities (automatic viewing, free-roaming, fishing, and watering plants in the park environment), based on data from a 10-minute experiment conducted by 195 participants with mild to moderate anxiety and depression. The subjective scales, EEG and EMG, and scenario experience were analyzed and the results showed that: (1) the restorative and present VR scenarios were beneficial in alleviating state anxiety and depression; (2) the restorative environment and presence were significantly and positively related to the reduction of anxiety and depression respectively, moreover, presence mediated the restorative environment on the recovery from anxiety and depression; (3) the environmental settings, the complexity of interaction, human factors, and maturity of VR devices and technology were also key factors that influenced the effects of interactive VR scenario experience and intervention. These studies revealed VR psychological intervention scenarios could be designed with comprehensive factors. Moreover, they might help pave the way for future study in exploring the physiology and psychology mode in virtual and real spaces, enhancing intervention effectiveness.

The Physiological Restorative Role of Soundscape in Different Forest Structures

“…To match the five scales, the intervals of ∆EMG, ∆EDA, ∆PPG, and ∆RESP were derived. In green space, EMG, EDA and RESP values are the same order of magnitude, with maximum around or less than 10 [41]. PPG value is another order of magnitude with maximum around or less than 40.…”

A systematic review on the efficacy of virtual reality and gamification interventions for managing anxiety and depression

“…The results show that the most commonly used frequency in implementing VR interventions was once per week, with 7 out of 15 studies implementing the intervention at this frequency (9, 10, 13,21,24,42,43). The second highest frequency was twice weekly, used in 5 studies (11,12,20,41,44).…”

“…The results indicate that the most commonly utilized VR headsets are Samsung Gear VR (7,8,10) and Oculus Rift (9, 11, 21). Other VR display platforms employed include the Pico VR headset (12), HTC Vive Pro (13,41), and nVisor SX (44). Additionally, two studies displayed the VR treatment through mobile devices (20,32), one study employed projectors (43), and one study utilized a VR helmet (42).…”

“…Eye or motion movements were tracked and reported in seven studies. Among these, four studies implemented eye tracking through the use of an eye tracker or a VR headset (7,8,11,13,42). In addition, all seven studies incorporated motion tracking in their methodologies (7, 8, 11-13, 21, 42, 43).…”

“…The primary goal of VR is to create a simulated world that closely parallels reality, offering an immersive and interactive experience for users. To achieve this, various technological elements such as head-mounted displays (7-10), eye tracking devices (11), synthesized sounds (12), and motion sensing devices are employed (13). These components enable users to engage their senses and actively explore the virtual environment, facilitating a sense of presence and immersion.…”