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Virtual Reality for Anxiety Reduction: A Mixed-Methods Preliminary Study on Blue Space Environments Among Healthy
Adisti Dwijayanti1,2, Aida Rosita Tantri2,3, Dina Muktiarti2,4
1Department of Medical Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia, ui.ac.id.
Depression and Anxiety
|July 16, 2026
Summary
Virtual reality (VR) significantly reduced anxiety in healthy participants using a natural environment simulation. The VR Seribu Island application demonstrated high user satisfaction and minimal cybersickness, supporting its potential for anxiety management.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Medical Technology
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Anxiety is a significant concern for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, affecting treatment outcomes and quality of life.
- Virtual reality (VR) offers a promising non-pharmacological approach to anxiety reduction through immersive distraction.
- This study introduces a novel VR application, VR Seribu Island, designed to mitigate anxiety via natural environment exposure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of the VR Seribu Island in reducing anxiety levels.
- To assess the user experience (UX) associated with the VR application.
- To identify and quantify any cybersickness symptoms experienced by participants.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods approach was employed with 30 healthy participants.
- Anxiety was measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) pre- and post-VR exposure.
- User experience and cybersickness were assessed using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant reduction in anxiety was observed post-VR intervention (p = 0.001).
- Participants reported high satisfaction with the VR Seribu Island, averaging 4.48/5.
- Minimal cybersickness symptoms were reported, with low severity across metrics.
Conclusions:
- The VR Seribu Island effectively reduced anxiety and was well-received by users.
- Preliminary findings suggest VR is a viable tool for anxiety management.
- Further research is warranted to explore VR's therapeutic potential in clinical anxiety populations.