Reducing Preoperative Caregiver Anxiety With Virtual Reality: A Pragmatic, Randomized Controlled Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Interventions
• Psychological Health
• Pediatric Care

Background:

• Caregiver anxiety is common in pediatric perioperative settings.
• Reducing caregiver anxiety can improve patient cooperation and overall experience.
• Existing interventions may not fully address caregiver psychological distress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of virtual reality (VR)-assisted mindfulness in reducing perioperative caregiver anxiety.
• To compare VR-assisted mindfulness with standard care for caregiver anxiety.
• To assess caregiver satisfaction with VR mindfulness interventions.

Main Methods:

• Randomized controlled trial comparing VR mindfulness (VR group) with standard of care (SOC group).
• Anxiety measured pre- and post-intervention using Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).
• Satisfaction survey administered to VR group participants.

Main Results:

• The VR group showed significantly lower VAS-A scores compared to the SOC group (p=0.002).
• VR intervention led to a significant reduction in state anxiety (STAI, p=0.014), unlike SOC.
• 12 out of 14 caregivers in the VR group reported satisfaction or strong satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• VR-assisted mindfulness is an effective method for reducing caregiver anxiety in pediatric perioperative care.
• The intervention is safe, inexpensive, and well-received by participants.
• Findings support the integration of VR mindfulness into pediatric healthcare settings.