Virtual reality-supported mindfulness practice in relieving stress in postgraduate students: a pilot randomised controlled trial.
- 1School of Nursing, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China.
- 2The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
- 3School of Nursing, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. [email protected].
Abstract
Background
Virtual 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
A 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
This 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
This 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
This study has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05948280) on 17th July 2023.
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BibTeX
@article{qi2026virtual,
title = {{Virtual reality-supported mindfulness practice in relieving stress in postgraduate students: a pilot randomised controlled trial.}},
author = {Yishu Qi and Cho Lee Wong and Wenqian Zhao and Shishuang Zhou and Youran Liu and Huiyuan Li},
journal = {BMC psychology},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s40359-026-05291-x},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968120},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Virtual reality-supported mindfulness practice in relieving stress in postgraduate students: a pilot randomised controlled trial.
AU - Yishu Qi
AU - Cho Lee Wong
AU - Wenqian Zhao
AU - Shishuang Zhou
AU - Youran Liu
AU - Huiyuan Li
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/05
JO - BMC psychology
DO - 10.1186/s40359-026-05291-x
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42968120
AB - Background Virtual 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 A 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 This 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 This 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 This study has been registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05948280) on 17th July 2023.
SN - 2050-7283
ER -