# A pilot study: virtual reality-based intervention to boost optimism and alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression in undergraduates

## TL;DR

A VR-based therapy improved optimism and reduced depression in students with low optimism, with effects lasting up to six months.

## Contribution

This study introduces a VR-based positive cognitive behavioral therapy for improving optimism and mental health in undergraduates.

## Key findings

- The VR intervention significantly increased optimism and reduced depressive symptoms in the short term.
- Optimism gains were maintained for six months, but long-term mental health effects were not significantly different between groups.
- VR-based positive psychology interventions show promise as a feasible and engaging mental health support tool for students.

## Abstract

This pilot randomized controlled trial evaluated the short- and long-term effectiveness of a Positive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (PCBT)–based virtual reality (VR) intervention in enhancing optimism and improving mental health outcomes among undergraduate students with low baseline optimism, compared with a task-based VR control.

Twenty-eight full-time undergraduate students with low optimism [Life Orientation Test–Revised (LOT-R) ≤ 13] were randomly assigned to a PCBT-based VR intervention (n = 15) or a task-based VR control (n = 13). Participants completed six weekly 30-min VR sessions. Optimism, perceived stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Linear mixed-effects models adjusted for age, gender, and academic period were used to evaluate intervention effects across time.

All participants completed post-intervention assessments, and 25 (89.29%) completed the 6-month follow-up. The PCBT-based VR group demonstrated a significant short-term increase in optimism (β = 2.02, p = 0.01) and a significant reduction in depressive symptoms (β = −3.04, p = 0.01) compared with the control group. Anxiety showed a trend toward short-term reduction, while stress did not change significantly. Across the 6-month follow-up, the intervention group maintained higher overall optimism than controls; however, the group-by-time interaction was not significant, indicating similar long-term trajectories for optimism, stress, anxiety, and depression across groups.

A PCBT-based VR intervention produced meaningful short-term improvements in optimism and depressive symptoms among undergraduates with low optimism, with optimism gains sustained for 6 months. These findings suggest that VR-delivered positive psychology interventions may be a feasible and engaging approach to support student mental health. Larger, multi-site trials are needed to confirm efficacy and optimize long-term effects.