ABSTRACT Veterans with physical disabilities may experience substantial psychological burden (e.g., PTSD symptoms) and practical barriers to accessing conventional mental health services. VR‐assisted meditation could offer a low‐threshold alternative, but evidence in this population remains limited. The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of a VR‐assisted meditation programme for veterans with disabilities. In a randomized controlled trial, 40 US veterans (mean age = 42 years) were assigned to either (a) weekly VR‐assisted meditation sessions or (b) a no‐intervention control condition. Psychological well‐being (WHO‐5), mindfulness (SMS), system usability (SUS) and user satisfaction (QUEST 2.0) were measured at baseline, post‐intervention and follow‐up. Compared with controls, the VR group showed higher post‐intervention scores, with the clearest gains observed for psychological well‐being and perceived system usability. Scores decreased slightly at follow‐up but remained above the control condition. The pattern of benefits did not appear to differ by baseline anxiety level. VR‐assisted meditation may be a feasible and acceptable approach for supporting well‐being in veterans with disabilities. High perceived usability may support short‐term engagement; however, the present findings are preliminary and do not establish clinical effectiveness or durability.
Doğan et al. (Sun,) studied this question.