Applying Virtual Reality in Mindfulness Exercises for Emotion Regulation and Mental Health Among Inpatients With Behavioral Issues: A Feasibility Study.
Lee J & Kim J • American journal of health promotion : AJHP • 2026
VR is a feasible technology for meditation exercises, with observed associations with more stable emotional states, and reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms among psychiatric inpatients.
Key Findings
Methods
VR-based meditation exercises were feasible for use with psychiatric inpatients diagnosed with major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder.
Single-arm feasibility study design with n = 25 psychiatric hospital inpatients in the Midwestern United States
Participants were diagnosed by physicians with major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder
Intervention consisted of VR meditation exercises 3 times weekly for 10 weeks
ECG devices were used alongside survey questionnaires for assessment
Results
Significant increases in physiological coherence, indicating more regulated emotional states, were observed after 10 weeks of VR meditation.
M = -35.25, SD = 22.25, 95% CI [-40.63, -29.86]
Cohen's d = -1.58, indicating a large effect size
Physiological coherence was assessed using ECG devices
Paired t-tests were used to analyze changes
Results
Reductions in depression symptoms were observed following 10 weeks of VR meditation exercises.
M = 3.48, SD = 3.29, 95% CI [1.84, 7.51]
Cohen's d = 1.06, indicating a large effect size
Depression was measured through survey questionnaires
Analysis conducted using paired t-tests
Results
Reductions in anxiety symptoms were observed following 10 weeks of VR meditation exercises.
M = 3.12, SD = 4.03, 95% CI [1.45, 4.78]
Cohen's d = 0.77, indicating a medium-to-large effect size
Anxiety was measured through survey questionnaires
Analysis conducted using paired t-tests
Conclusions
ECG-based physiological assessment was applied as an objective measure of emotion regulation, addressing methodological shortfalls in this psychiatric population.
Physiological coherence served as an indicator of regulated emotional state
The authors noted that ECG-based assessment 'further addresses methodological shortfalls in this population'
Combined use of physiological (ECG) and self-report (survey) measures was employed
The study highlighted the potential for user-centered care and tailored treatment using digital healthcare tools
What This Means
This research suggests that using virtual reality (VR) headsets during meditation sessions may be a practical and beneficial approach for people receiving inpatient psychiatric care. In a 10-week study with 25 patients diagnosed with major depression or generalized anxiety disorder, participants completed VR-guided meditation three times per week. By the end of the study, researchers observed meaningful improvements in emotional regulation (measured via heart activity sensors), as well as reductions in both depression and anxiety symptoms. The effect sizes for all three outcomes were medium to large, suggesting the changes were clinically notable.
This research suggests that VR technology can be successfully incorporated into mental health treatment settings, even for individuals with significant psychiatric conditions. A notable aspect of the study was the use of ECG (heart monitor) devices to objectively measure emotional regulation, going beyond typical self-report questionnaires alone. This combination of physiological and self-reported measures provides a more complete picture of how patients respond to the intervention.
The findings matter because they point to a potential new tool for mental health care that leverages digital technology to deliver personalized, engaging mindfulness-based treatment to a population that can be challenging to treat. However, because this was a small, single-arm feasibility study without a control group, it is not possible to attribute the improvements solely to the VR intervention. Future studies with larger samples and control groups would be needed to confirm these promising early results.
Lee J, Kim J. (2026). Applying Virtual Reality in Mindfulness Exercises for Emotion Regulation and Mental Health Among Inpatients With Behavioral Issues: A Feasibility Study.. American journal of health promotion : AJHP. https://doi.org/10.1177/08901171251391600