Immersive Therapy for Improving Anxiety in Health Professionals of a Regional Hospital during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Quasi-Experimental Pilot Study

Marta Linares-Chamorro, Neus Domènech-Oller, Javier Jerez-Roig and Joel Piqué-Buisan ()
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Marta Linares-Chamorro: Department of Psychology, Fundació Hospital d’Olot i Comarcal de la Garrotxa, 17800 Olot, Spain
Neus Domènech-Oller: Department of Knowledge and Innovation, Fundació Hospital d’Olot i Comarcal de la Garrotxa, 17800 Olot, Spain
Javier Jerez-Roig: Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CESS), Research Group on Methodology, Methods, Models and Outcomes of Health and Social Sciences (M 3 O), Faculty of Health Sciences and Welfare, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), 08500 Vic, Spain
Joel Piqué-Buisan: Department of Knowledge and Innovation, Fundació Hospital d’Olot i Comarcal de la Garrotxa, 17800 Olot, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 16, 1-10

Abstract: Background: Immersive therapy through virtual reality represents a novel strategy used in psychological interventions, but there is still a need to strengthen the evidence on its effects on health professionals’ mental health. Objective: To analyze the results of immersive therapy through virtual reality on the levels of anxiety and well-being of the health professionals working in a regional hospital in Olot (Spain). Methods: Pilot quasi-experimental study including a group of 35 female (mean age = 45.7, SD = 8.43) health professionals who undertook immersive therapy for 8 weeks. The intervention was implemented through virtual reality, and its effect on anxiety levels and well-being was evaluated through the Hamilton and Eudemon scales, respectively. Data on age, gender, active pharmacological or psychological treatment, mental health disorders and number of sessions were also collected. Results: A statistically significant ( p < 0.001) improvement in anxiety and well-being was found, with large and moderate effect sizes (0.90 and 0.63 respectively). In addition, these changes were clinically significant. No significant associations were found between the improvements and the different variables, but a greater trend was identified among the group of professionals with untreated or unidentified levels of anxiety. Conclusion: This group of health professionals showed a statistically and clinically significant improvement in anxiety and well-being after the application of immersive therapy using virtual reality. Further studies with a control group are necessary to further analyze this novel intervention.

Keywords: immersive therapy; virtual reality; health professionals; anxiety (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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