Challenge
Three out of ten employees in Switzerland experience critical levels of stress at the workplace. Chronic stress can have detrimental effects on our health. The question arises whether new technologies can help to manage stress.
Approach
To this aim, we designed a VR-supported stress management training. The project was conducted in collaboration with international researchers from the fields of psychology, data science and computer science. We developed and tested a heart rate variability biofeedback intervention: Gaining control over stress-related psychological and physical processes via slow and paced breathing and visualization of heart activity in VR.
Results
A single training session resulted in a reduction of perceived stress, an improvement of mood and an increase in feelings of relaxation. Moreover, increases in heart rate variability target parameters were significantly higher in VR than on a classical screen (Weibel et al. 2023).
Furthermore, the use of our VR intervention in a 4-week intervention program lead to improvement of both physiological and psychological measures of stress and stress-related symptoms in comparison to a control group without an intervention (Kerr et al. 2023).
Lead Researchers
Dr. Jasmine Kerr, Dr. Mara Nägelin, Dr. Raphaël Weibel
Project Status
Completed
