scholarly journals Virtual Reality Meditation Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Feasibility

10.2196/18244 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. e18244
Author(s):  
Laura Johnson Chavez ◽  
Kelly Kelleher ◽  
Natasha Slesnick ◽  
Eugene Holowacz ◽  
Ellison Luthy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Homeless Youth ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Mindfulness Skills

Background Homelessness among youth is devastating, with high rates of substance use disorders and mental health comorbidity. Mindfulness-based interventions that include meditation and mindfulness skills training reduce stress and symptoms of anxiety or depression. However, engaging high-risk youth in interventions is challenging. Virtual reality is a more flexible platform for delivering meditation and may be appealing to youth. Objective The study objectives were to evaluate the feasibility of delivering virtual reality meditation and of collecting outcome measures, including anxiety and physiologic stress. Methods A sample of 30 youth experiencing homelessness was enrolled in the study. Youth were randomized to receive 10 minutes of one of three interventions: (1) virtual reality meditation, (2) audio meditation (through a web-based platform), or (3) virtual reality imagery of historical pictures and text. Subjects who consented to the study attended two research visits. The first visit collected survey measures of demographics, mental health, and substance use, and oriented subjects to the intervention platforms. The second visit (1-3 days later) delivered the intervention and collected pre and post outcome measures of anxiety and physiologic stress (salivary cortisol). Changes in anxiety and cortisol at the second visit were compared across groups using a linear regression model in which the primary analysis compared virtual reality meditation to audio meditation and secondary analyses compared virtual reality meditation to virtual reality imagery. Results Anxiety scores decreased in all groups, with a larger reduction among the virtual reality meditation group (difference=10.8) compared to the web-based meditation or virtual reality images groups (difference=5.8 and 5.0, respectively). After controlling for baseline values, there were no significant group differences in changes in anxiety scores or cortisol levels. In comparing virtual reality meditation and audio meditation, the effect size for anxiety was moderate (Cohen d=0.58) while the effect size for cortisol was small (Cohen d=0.08). Conclusions Preliminary results suggest that virtual reality meditation has a moderate benefit for anxiety but not physiologic stress. Future research is needed to confirm these results in a larger sample and to investigate whether the effects are sustained or increase with repeated use of virtual reality mediation. Virtual reality meditation appears feasible to deliver among homeless youth and merits further study. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04004520; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04004520

scholarly journals Virtual Reality Meditation Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Feasibility (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Johnson Chavez ◽  
Kelly Kelleher ◽  
Natasha Slesnick ◽  
Eugene Holowacz ◽  
Ellison Luthy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Homeless Youth ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Mindfulness Skills

BACKGROUND Homelessness among youth is devastating, with high rates of substance use disorders and mental health comorbidity. Mindfulness-based interventions that include meditation and mindfulness skills training reduce stress and symptoms of anxiety or depression. However, engaging high-risk youth in interventions is challenging. Virtual reality is a more flexible platform for delivering meditation and may be appealing to youth. OBJECTIVE The study objectives were to evaluate the feasibility of delivering virtual reality meditation and of collecting outcome measures, including anxiety and physiologic stress. METHODS A sample of 30 youth experiencing homelessness was enrolled in the study. Youth were randomized to receive 10 minutes of one of three interventions: (1) virtual reality meditation, (2) audio meditation (through a web-based platform), or (3) virtual reality imagery of historical pictures and text. Subjects who consented to the study attended two research visits. The first visit collected survey measures of demographics, mental health, and substance use, and oriented subjects to the intervention platforms. The second visit (1-3 days later) delivered the intervention and collected pre and post outcome measures of anxiety and physiologic stress (salivary cortisol). Changes in anxiety and cortisol at the second visit were compared across groups using a linear regression model in which the primary analysis compared virtual reality meditation to audio meditation and secondary analyses compared virtual reality meditation to virtual reality imagery. RESULTS Anxiety scores decreased in all groups, with a larger reduction among the virtual reality meditation group (difference=10.8) compared to the web-based meditation or virtual reality images groups (difference=5.8 and 5.0, respectively). After controlling for baseline values, there were no significant group differences in changes in anxiety scores or cortisol levels. In comparing virtual reality meditation and audio meditation, the effect size for anxiety was moderate (Cohen <i>d</i>=0.58) while the effect size for cortisol was small (Cohen <i>d</i>=0.08). CONCLUSIONS Preliminary results suggest that virtual reality meditation has a moderate benefit for anxiety but not physiologic stress. Future research is needed to confirm these results in a larger sample and to investigate whether the effects are sustained or increase with repeated use of virtual reality mediation. Virtual reality meditation appears feasible to deliver among homeless youth and merits further study. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04004520; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04004520

Virtual reality in social skills training programs for people with schizophrenia: A systematic review and focus group

2021 ◽  
pp. 030802262110113
Author(s):  
Catarina Oliveira ◽  
Raquel Simões de Almeida ◽  
António Marques
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Social Skills ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Social Skills Training ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Training Programme ◽  
Cochrane Library

Introduction This study aims to determine the guidelines for the design of a social skills training programme for people with schizophrenia using virtual reality. Methods This article encompasses two studies: Study 1, a systematic review of five articles indexed in the databases B-on, PubMed, Clinical trials and Cochrane Library (2010–2020); Study 2, a focus group of occupational therapists trained in mental health and multimedia professionals, in which they discussed the outline of such a programme. Results A set of guidelines were identified as central and consensual which should be included in the programme. It must have multilevel logic and gradual learning, with simulations of everyday situations, in which it is possible to practise the skills of conversation and communication. Virtual reality provides people with schizophrenia with unlimited opportunities, enhancing a personalized intervention. Conclusion Social skills training could be part of the treatment for people with schizophrenia, and virtual reality is a promising tool to complement traditional training, although still little implemented in mental health services. Occupational therapists have a prominent role in the development and application of this because of their knowledge of activity analysis and their ability to facilitate the generalization of skills in different contexts.

scholarly journals Web-Based Mindfulness Interventions for Mental Health Treatment: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

10.2196/10278 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. e10278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Sevilla-Llewellyn-Jones ◽  
Olga Santesteban-Echarri ◽  
Ingrid Pryor ◽  
Patrick McGorry ◽  
Mario Alvarez-Jimenez
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Mindfulness Skills ◽  
Mindfulness Interventions ◽  
Depression Disorder

Background Web-based mindfulness interventions are increasingly delivered through the internet to treat mental health conditions. Objective The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of web-based mindfulness interventions in clinical mental health populations. Secondary aims were to explore the impact of study variables on the effectiveness of web-based mindfulness interventions. Methods We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies investigating the effects of web-based mindfulness interventions on clinical populations. Results The search strategy yielded 12 eligible studies. Web-based mindfulness interventions were effective in reducing depression in the total clinical sample (n=656 g=−0.609, P=.004) and in the anxiety disorder subgroup (n=313, g=−0.651, P<.001), but not in the depression disorder subgroup (n=251, P=.18). Similarly, web-based mindfulness interventions significantly reduced anxiety in the total clinical sample (n=756, g=−0.433, P=.004) and the anxiety disorder subgroup (n=413, g=−0.719, P<.001), but not in the depression disorder group (n=251, g=−0.213, P=.28). Finally, web-based mindfulness interventions improved quality of life and functioning in the total sample (n=591, g=0.362, P=.02) in the anxiety disorder subgroup (n=370, g=0.550, P=.02) and mindfulness skills in the total clinical sample (n=251, g=0.724, P<.001). Conclusions Results support the effectiveness of web-based mindfulness interventions in reducing depression and anxiety and in enhancing quality of life and mindfulness skills, particularly in those with clinical anxiety. Results should be interpreted with caution given the high heterogeneity of web-based mindfulness interventions and the low number of studies included.

A virtual reality approach to mindfulness skills training

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amaya Chandrasiri ◽  
James Collett ◽  
Eric Fassbender ◽  
Alexander De Foe
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Mindfulness Skills

scholarly journals Web-Based Graphic Representation of the Life Course of Mental Health: Cross-Sectional Study Across the Spectrum of Mood, Anxiety, Eating, and Substance Use Disorders

10.2196/16919 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. e16919 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Leora Aupperle ◽  
Martin P Paulus ◽  
Rayus Kuplicki ◽  
James Touthang ◽  
Teresa Victor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Graphical Representations ◽  
Positive Events ◽  
Health Treatment ◽  
Web Based

Background Although patient history is essential for informing mental health assessment, diagnosis, and prognosis, there is a dearth of standardized instruments measuring time-dependent factors relevant to psychiatric disorders. Previous research has demonstrated the potential utility of graphical representations, termed life charts, for depicting the complexity of the course of mental illness. However, the implementation of these assessments is limited by the exclusive focus on specific mental illnesses (ie, bipolar disorder) and the lack of intuitive graphical interfaces for data collection and visualization. Objective This study aimed to develop and test the utility of the Tulsa Life Chart (TLC) as a Web-based, structured approach for obtaining and graphically representing historical information on psychosocial and mental health events relevant across a spectrum of psychiatric disorders. Methods The TLC interview was completed at baseline by 499 participants of the Tulsa 1000, a longitudinal study of individuals with depressive, anxiety, substance use, or eating disorders and healthy comparisons (HCs). All data were entered electronically, and a 1-page electronic and interactive graphical representation was developed using the Google Visualization Application Programming Interface. For 8 distinct life epochs (periods of approximately 5-10 years), the TLC assessed the following factors: school attendance, hobbies, jobs, social support, substance use, mental health treatment, family structure changes, negative and positive events, and epoch and event-related mood ratings. We used generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) to evaluate trajectories of each domain over time and by sex, age, and diagnosis, using case examples and Web-based interactive graphs to visualize data. Results GLMM analyses revealed main or interaction effects of epoch and diagnosis for all domains. Epoch by diagnosis interactions were identified for mood ratings and the number of negative-versus-positive events (all P values <.001), with all psychiatric groups reporting worse mood and greater negative-versus-positive events than HCs. These differences were most robust at different epochs, depending on diagnosis. There were also diagnosis and epoch main effects for substance use, mental health treatment received, social support, and hobbies (P<.001). User experience ratings (each on a 1-5 scale) revealed that participants found the TLC pleasant to complete (mean 3.07, SD 1.26) and useful for understanding their mental health (mean 3.07, SD 1.26), and that they were likely to recommend it to others (mean 3.42, SD 0.85). Conclusions The TLC provides a structured, Web-based transdiagnostic assessment of psychosocial history relevant for the diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders. Interactive, 1-page graphical representations of the TLC allow for the efficient communication of historical life information that would be useful for clinicians, patients, and family members.

Social Connectedness, Self-Efficacy, and Mental Health Outcomes Among Homeless Youth

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (7) ◽  
pp. 989-1014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Begun ◽  
Kimberly A. Bender ◽  
Samantha M. Brown ◽  
Anamika Barman-Adhikari ◽  
Kristin Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Substance Use Disorder ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Homeless Youth ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes

Homeless youth frequently meet diagnosis criteria for depressive and/or substance use disorder(s). Although prior research has established that both social connectedness and self-efficacy buffer vulnerable youth’s adverse health outcomes, few studies have compared the potential of these protective factors on homeless youth’s mental well-being. The current study analyzes comparative effects of social connectedness and self-efficacy on meeting criteria for major depressive disorder, substance use disorder, and the co-occurrence of both disorders among a sample of 601 service-seeking homeless youth in Austin, Denver, and Los Angeles. Hierarchical logistic regressions indicate that while both social connectedness and self-efficacy constructs are valuable protective factors, social connectedness may offer greater utility, particularly in buffering against more complex mental health outcomes, such as the co-occurrence of depressive and substance use disorders. Accordingly, resource-strapped homeless youth service providers and researchers may benefit from tailoring mental health intervention strategies to further emphasize social connectedness in future efforts.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document