Validity for Stress Reduction of Virtual Reality Intervention

Validity for Stress Reduction of Virtual Reality Based Mental Health Care Service System

The purpose of this study is to verify the effect of virtual reality (VR) intervention on stress reduction for workers. After inducing stress by the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressure Test (SECPT), Investigators should explore recovery of stress response in VR intervention and control condition. Healthy individuals were randomly assigned to one of VR intervention group and control group.

Investigators will assess whether subjective stress ratings and saliva cortisol elevations to the SECPT can be decreased by VR intervention more rapidly compared to control condition. After screening, pre-evaluation is conducted on healthy individuals who agreed to participate in the study. Experimental sessions run in the afternoon (between 14:00 and 17:00) in the virtual reality laboratory to control for diurnal cycle of cortisol. After arrival at the laboratory, participants were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions (VR intervention or control). At this point, psychological distress was recorded and baseline saliva sample was collected. After the first assessment, participants immersed their hand in ice water during 3 minutes and were watched by an unfamiliar person and videotaped during hand immersion. Immediately after participants took the SECPT, they rated on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) how stressful the previous situation had been and the second saliva sample was collected (the 2nd measurement). Thereafter, participants of VR intervention group go through VR intervention in a virtual seaside environment with congruent sounds, whereas those of control group are allowed to read materials of stress. Participants will be asked to collect their saliva and fill a VAS immeiately after the recovery period (the 3rd measurement) and 30 minutes after cessation of the stress manipulation (the 4th measurement). THe VR intervention is expected to cause more rapid recovery of stress responses than a control intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• workers over the age of 19 and under 65
• healthy individuals without pathological problems of corisol levels such as Cushing's syndrome
• being able to understand the protocol and voluntarliy agree to participate the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• age under 19 or over 65
• suffering from metabolic syndrome
• having psychosis usch as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder or a history of them