Abstract
Objectives
The present study aimed to test the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) technology to promote positive attitudes toward mindfulness and to enhance motivation to practice mindfulness.
Method
Participants (n = 409) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: (1) VR-based meditation, (2) video-based meditation, (3) audio-based meditation, and (4) magazine article reading about meditation as a control group. All three of the meditation conditions featured the same script and audio.
Results
Participants in each of the three mindfulness conditions reported an increase in state mindfulness and positive affect, and a decrease in negative affect. Compared to participants who meditated using video or audio clips, participants who meditated using VR reported mindfulness meditation to be more interesting, fun, enjoyable, and less boring. There were no differences in whether participants were distracted, mind wandering, or were absorbed in the meditation across the groups. Participants' self-reported intention to practice mindfulness meditation in the next month and their actual behavior did not differ across the groups.
Conclusions
VR meditation could be useful in fostering positive mood and attitudes in regard to mindfulness practice compared to other technology-assisted meditations, but these changes are not necessarily accompanied by stronger intention to meditate in the future.
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Data Availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Notes
The publisher of the game did not specify whether the meditations are from evidence-based practices. The scripts seem to us, however, to be very similar to typical beginning mindfulness and self-compassion guided meditations.
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DG: Conceived, designed, and executed the experiment, conducted initial data analyses. EK: Assisted with data collection and verified the data analyses, wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Both authors collaborated in writing and editing the final manuscript. We are grateful for the support of our research team, with particular gratitude to Morgan Anderson and Marcella Christiani.
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Gentile, D.A., Kim, EL. Comparing Virtual Reality, Video, and Audio-Guided Meditations in Fostering Positive Attitudes toward Meditation. Mindfulness 15, 586–600 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-024-02311-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-024-02311-y