Data - The Role of Immersive Experience in Anxiety Reduction: Evidence from Virtual Reality Session

Our objective was to explore the influence of two distinct VR technologies: traditional, commonly used (googles with controllers) vs modern (googles attached to a multi-joint arm without the use of controllers) on respondents' severity of anxiety and to ascertain the role of VR immersion in this connection. Additionally, we factored in age, gender, and wheelchair condition as controlled variables. To our knowledge it is the first study that compares modern VR solutions with traditional VR technologies in their potential to deepen the virtual reality experience (induce immersion in the user). Moreover, there is as well no study to this data that would evaluate the potential of newly-designed VR solutions in diminishing negative mental states. This study tries to fill the gap in existing research on this topic, therefore constituting an important factor in the development of further potential opportunities for the development and application of modern VR solutions.
The study recruited participants via email invitations to schools, universities, and cultural centers in the Tricity area, as well as through paper notices in various locations. Interested individuals contacted Chronospace company to schedule participation. Participants were randomly assigned to experimental or control groups and selected whether to use a wheelchair. Before the study, participants completed an online anxiety questionnaires: STAI-C1 (version for children and adolescents up to 15 years old) or STAI-X1 (version for those aged 16 and older). In the experimental condition, participants navigated virtual reality (VR) using a multi-joint arm system, while the control group used controllers. Both groups spent 5 minutes in VR, after which they completed the state anxiety questionnaire and additional immersion questionnaires. The procedure was consistent for participants in wheelchairs and took place at indoor locations.
Overall, our results showed that those people who participated in VR session with the new (tested) device manifested greater immersion and lower severity of anxiety in post-test (no group differences were observed in case of initial anxiety symptoms). Moreover, the severity of anxiety symptoms measured after VR experience was significantly associated with initial (pre-existing) anxiety symptoms, age and immersion. We found that such a negative mental state after VR experience was more perceived by participants in the group with standard VR equipment. Interestingly, sex was not predictive for the severity of anxiety symptoms measured after VR experience. Furthermore, we observed partial mediating effect with group as predictor variable, post-VR severity of anxiety as criterion variable and immersion as a mediator (controlling for sex, age, initial anxiety and wheelchair).