Key result
Immersive virtual reality shows no benefit over narrative relaxation for acute post-stress recovery.
Why the study?
Immersive virtual reality-based relaxation alleviates stress in the general population, but few data exist on clinical populations or the effectiveness of different virtual reality scenarios in inducing relaxation.
Does immersive virtual reality relaxation reduce post-stress perceived stress and heart rate more effectively than narrative alone in female patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension?
RCT (n=16)
Open-label
Randomized crossover
No
Does immersive virtual reality relaxation reduce post-stress perceived stress and heart rate more effectively than narrative alone in female patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension?
Immersive virtual reality relaxation is feasible and well-accepted among patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension but was equally effective as traditional narrative relaxation in reducing stress and heart rate.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Narrative relaxation matches IVR for acute stress and HR reduction in PAH; extends relaxation efficacy to this population without supporting IVR adoption.
Objectives Several studies have shown the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (IVR)‐based relaxation techniques in alleviating stress within the general population. However, few data are available on patients, or on the effectiveness of different scenarios in inducing relaxation. This pilot study aims to compare the effectiveness of three relaxation techniques—preselected IVR (IVR‐PS), preferred IVR (i.e. chosen by the participant from different alternatives—IVR‐PR), and narrative alone (CTR)—in reducing physiological and psychological stress in 16 pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) female patients ( N = 16, average age: 46 ± 10.66 years; average education: 13.31 ± 3.8 years; mean duration of illness: 8.56 ± 5.24 years) following an acute stress. Methods Patients performed a mental stress test followed by three different relaxation sessions presented in a randomized order on three separate occasions. Self‐perceived stress, level of relaxation, and heart rate (HR) were monitored during the sessions. Participants' ratings of their experiences were also collected. Results The results indicated that the three relaxation methods were equally effective in reducing perceived stress induced by acute stress and in lowering HR. However, greater cognitive activation was reported in the two IVR conditions compared with the narrative condition. Conclusions This is the first study to show evidence of the impact of IVR on a rare population. Despite the lack of significant differences between the two IVR and narrative‐alone conditions in physiological and subjective relaxation, more than half of the participants expressed a subjective preference for the virtual experience, especially for the preferred one.
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Alessandra et al. (2026) conducted an RCT in Pulmonary arterial hypertension (n=16). Immersive virtual reality relaxation (preselected or preferred) vs. Narrative relaxation alone was evaluated on Change in self-perceived stress (SUDS) from post-stress (MIST) to post-relaxation (p=0.599). Immersive virtual reality, whether preselected or participant-preferred, was equally effective as narrative relaxation alone in reducing self-perceived stress and heart rate following acute stress induction.
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