Evaluating the Impact of
VR vs Traditional Approaches to Mindfulness
Manasa Hegde (M.S HF/E), Dr. Anil Kumar (Prof. & Director, HFE Graduate Program)
Background
As mental health awareness grows, access to effective support remains limited. Virtual Reality (VR) is emerging as a powerful tool to enhance mindfulness practices like meditation and guided breathing. Unlike traditional methods, VR offers immersive, distraction-free environments that can boost engagement and focus.
This study compares VR-based mindfulness with traditional approaches, using both qualitative and biometric data to explore VR’s potential as a scalable mental health solution.
Research Flow
This is an ongoing project. Data collection is currently in progress.
1
Literature Review
Assess VR mindfulness studies and note research gaps.
2
Project Setup
Define study framework, prep equipment, and secure IRB approval.
3
VR Environment Design
Design 8- and 16-minute underwater VR environments for mindfulness.
4
Data and Analysis
Captured stress and engagement metrics using sensors and surveys.
Research Objective
Stress Reduction Comparison
Does VR-based mindfulness lead to greater stress reduction than traditional practices (e.g., in-person or smartphone-based)?
Impact of Session Length
How does session length (short vs. long) impact the effectiveness of mindfulness practices across delivery formats? FSDJNF
User Engagement and Satisfaction
Does immersive VR improve user engagement and satisfaction in mindfulness exercises? across delivery formry formats?ats?
Need for the Study
Lack of engagement in traditional mindfulness tools (apps, in-person sessions) limits their effectiveness.
VR offers immersive, distraction-free environments, but few studies directly compare it to traditional mindfulness methods.
Session duration and environmental design (e.g., underwater scenes) are rarely explored in existing research despite their potential impact.
There’s a growing need for scalable, effective mental health interventions—this study investigates if VR can fill that gap.
Evaluation Metrics
Data Type
Measures
Purpose
Quantitative
GSR (Galvanic Skin Response), HRV (Heart Rate Variability), Perceived Stress Scale Scale
Measure stress reduction
Quantitative
MAAS ( Mindful Attention Awareness Scale )
Assess mindfulness engagement
Quantitative
SUS ( System Usability Scale)
Evaluate usability and satisfaction
Qualitative
Post-session open-ended feedback
Understand user experience and discomfort
Study Procedure
VR Environment Design
Mindful Design for Mindful Practice
Designed the experience for users to remain seated upright in a relaxed posture, aligning the virtual viewpoint with natural eye level to minimize motion sickness and promote comfort.
Visual elements were placed within a 90–110° field of view to maintain engagement without requiring excessive head movement.
To support a calm, distraction-free experience, we also avoided complex interactions, favoring a controller-free approach or simple gaze-based cues that aligned with the meditative flow.
Looking ahead, we aim to offer customizable environments to accommodate users who may feel uneasy with underwater settings or elements like jellyfish.
Expected Outcome
We expect that VR-based mindfulness will lead to greater stress relief and engagement than traditional methods. Immersive environments and longer session durations may enhance focus, calmness, and overall effectiveness.
