{"title":"A Novel Virtual Reality-Based Nature Meditation Program for Older Adults' Mental Health: Results from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.","authors":"Isabel Sadowski, Marianne Meilleur-Bédard, Bassam Khoury","doi":"10.1080/07317115.2025.2482089","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The rapid aging of the global population necessitates innovative interventions to address older adults' mental health. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a 4-week, 8-session nature-mindfulness-compassion program using immersive virtual reality (Embodied-and-Embedded-Mindfulness-Compassion-Framework - Virtual-Reality (EEMCF-VR)) for older adults' mental health.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Following a mixed-methods, two-arm, open-label RCT design, 24 older adults (M<sub>age</sub> = 75.1, SD = 6.58) were randomly assigned to EEMCF-VR (<i>n</i> = 12) or a psychoeducational pamphlet control group (<i>n</i> = 12). Participants completed self-report assessments of stress, positive and negative emotions, coping self-efficacy, psychosocial well-being, mindfulness, and nature connectedness at baseline (T1), midpoint (T2), post-intervention (T3), and 4-week follow-up (T4). Additionally, the EEMCF-VR group completed program feedback (T3) and simulator sickness (T1-T3) questionnaires.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>EEMCF-VR met feasibility benchmarks (recruitment targets achieved, attrition < 15%) and was well-tolerated (minimal simulator sickness). Participant feedback indicated high acceptability. The EEMCF-VR group reported significantly lower stress and negative emotions at T2 and T4 compared to controls. Qualitative analysis highlighted perceived benefits and components to retain (e.g. video content) or refine (e.g. headset weight).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>EEMCF-VR demonstrated feasibility and acceptability, with promising effects on stress and mood, warranting investigation in larger trials.</p><p><strong>Clinical implications: </strong>EEMCF-VR shows potential as a scalable intervention to reduce older adults' emotional distress.</p>","PeriodicalId":10376,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Gerontologist","volume":" ","pages":"1-21"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Clinical Gerontologist","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2025.2482089","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objectives: The rapid aging of the global population necessitates innovative interventions to address older adults' mental health. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a 4-week, 8-session nature-mindfulness-compassion program using immersive virtual reality (Embodied-and-Embedded-Mindfulness-Compassion-Framework - Virtual-Reality (EEMCF-VR)) for older adults' mental health.
Methods: Following a mixed-methods, two-arm, open-label RCT design, 24 older adults (Mage = 75.1, SD = 6.58) were randomly assigned to EEMCF-VR (n = 12) or a psychoeducational pamphlet control group (n = 12). Participants completed self-report assessments of stress, positive and negative emotions, coping self-efficacy, psychosocial well-being, mindfulness, and nature connectedness at baseline (T1), midpoint (T2), post-intervention (T3), and 4-week follow-up (T4). Additionally, the EEMCF-VR group completed program feedback (T3) and simulator sickness (T1-T3) questionnaires.
Results: EEMCF-VR met feasibility benchmarks (recruitment targets achieved, attrition < 15%) and was well-tolerated (minimal simulator sickness). Participant feedback indicated high acceptability. The EEMCF-VR group reported significantly lower stress and negative emotions at T2 and T4 compared to controls. Qualitative analysis highlighted perceived benefits and components to retain (e.g. video content) or refine (e.g. headset weight).
Conclusions: EEMCF-VR demonstrated feasibility and acceptability, with promising effects on stress and mood, warranting investigation in larger trials.
Clinical implications: EEMCF-VR shows potential as a scalable intervention to reduce older adults' emotional distress.
期刊介绍：
Clinical Gerontologist presents original research, reviews, and clinical comments relevant to the needs of behavioral health professionals and all practitioners who work with older adults. Published in cooperation with Psychologists in Long Term Care, the journal is designed for psychologists, physicians, nurses, social workers, counselors (family, pastoral, and vocational), and other health professionals who address behavioral health concerns found in later life, including:
-adjustments to changing roles-
issues related to diversity and aging-
family caregiving-
spirituality-
cognitive and psychosocial assessment-
depression, anxiety, and PTSD-
Alzheimer’s disease and other neurocognitive disorders-
long term care-
behavioral medicine in aging-
rehabilitation and education for older adults.
Each issue provides insightful articles on current topics. Submissions are peer reviewed by content experts and selected for both scholarship and relevance to the practitioner to ensure that the articles are among the best in the field. Authors report original research and conceptual reviews. A unique column in Clinical Gerontologist is “Clinical Comments." This section features brief observations and specific suggestions from practitioners which avoid elaborate research designs or long reference lists. This section is a unique opportunity for you to learn about the valuable clinical work of your peers in a short, concise format.
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