A systematic review evaluating the effectiveness of virtual reality-based well-being interventions for stress reduction in young adults

ABSTRACT Background Adolescents can be especially vulnerable to various stressors as they are still in their formative years and transitioning into adulthood. Hence, it is important for them to have effective stress management strategies. This systematic review investigates current well-being interventions that are aimed at reducing stress among young adults. In particular, interventions using the medium of virtual reality are explored. Methods This mixed-methods systematic review follows the PRISMA-P guidelines and articles were gathered for the databases PsycInfo, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Open Grey and Edutopia. Predetermined criteria and specific keywords were used to search for the articles. Search results were screened and extracted by two independent authors. Any disagreements after reconciliation were settled by a third author. The quality and risk of bias of included studies were assessed using the GRADE Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. Studies were analyzed qualitatively. Results Among the appraised studies, the effectiveness of virtual reality-based interventions was measured in three contexts: nature, stress, and academics. Conclusion Studies using virtual reality interventions, overall, promoted a reduction in stress and an increase in well-being. The findings suggest VR may serve as an accessible and affordable medium of stress reduction for students and young adults. Larger sample sizes, and a greater number of included studies, may be required in future directions.