{
  "abstract": "Background\n\nVirtual reality (VR)-based mindfulness intervention may be a potentially effective approach for stress relief in postgraduate students. This pilot study examined the preliminary effects of a VR-based mindfulness intervention on stress reduction among postgraduate students, in comparison with a conventional mindfulness intervention and a control condition. In addition, the study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and user experience associated with delivering mindfulness through VR technology.Methods\n\nA three-arm, assessor-blinded pilot randomised controlled trial was conducted. Forty-five full-time postgraduate students were randomly assigned (n = 15 per group) to a mindfulness group (15-minute audio-guided mindful practice twice a week for two weeks), a VR mindfulness group (VR-based mindfulness intervention twice weekly for two weeks), or a control group. The feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of VR-based mindfulness intervention on relieving stress were examined. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants in the VR mindfulness group to explore their experiences following the intervention.Results\n\nThis pilot study supported the feasibility of VR-based mindfulness intervention with satisfactory recruitment (54.88%), attrition (4.44%), and intervention completion (95.56%) rates. Participants in both the VR-based mindfulness group (β = -0.422, 95%CI: -0.804 to -0.039, p = 0.031, g = -0.42) and the mindfulness group (β = -0.563, 95%CI: -1.052 to -0.074, p = 0.024, g = -0.44) exhibited significant reductions in perceived stress scores compared to the control group at post-intervention. Additionally, significant reductions on total mood disturbance and negative mood were observed in both VR-based mindfulness group (β = -16.553, 95%CI: -28.800 to -4.306, p = 0.008, g = -0.52; β = -22.159, 95%CI: -40.827 to -3.491, p = 0.020, g = -0.52) and mindfulness groups (β = -16.004, 95%CI: -30.500 to -1.509, p = 0.030, g = -0.59; β = -23.029, 95%CI: -45.307 to -0.752, p = 0.043, g = -0.53). However, no statistically significant differences between groups were found in the total scores of mindfulness (p > 0.05).Conclusion\n\nThis pilot study demonstrated the feasibility and potentially preliminary effectiveness of VR-based mindfulness intervention for postgraduate students. Further multi-centre randomised controlled trials with a larger sample size and longer follow-up are recommended to ascertain the effects of VR-based mindfulness intervention for stress relief among postgraduate students.Trial registration\n\nThis study has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05948280) on 17th July 2023.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "School of Nursing, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China.",
    "The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.",
    "School of Nursing, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. huiyuanli@fudan.edu.cn."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yishu Qi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Cho Lee Wong"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Wenqian Zhao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Shishuang Zhou"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Youran Liu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Huiyuan Li"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bwft8w99cb6w8.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1186/s40359-026-05291-x",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13726169",
  "id": "bwft8w99cb6w8",
  "issns": [
    "2050-7283"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968120",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Research"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "3203|Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7172541446",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13726169?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13726169",
  "pmid": "42968120",
  "published": "2026-08-05",
  "publisher": "BMC",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bwft8w99cb6w8.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-03T15:20:53Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42968120",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968120"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-05T12:22:34Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13726169",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-026-05291-x"
    }
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:3203|Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions",
      "subfield": "psychiatry"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Virtual reality-supported mindfulness practice in relieving stress in postgraduate students: a pilot randomised controlled trial.",
  "title_text": "Virtual reality-supported mindfulness practice in relieving stress in postgraduate students: a pilot randomised controlled trial.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-06T12:22:11Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bwft8w99cb6w8",
  "venue": "BMC psychology",
  "versions": []
}