Trial reportJournal of medical Internet research2023
Physical Versus Virtual Reality-Based Calm Rooms for Psychiatric Inpatients: Quasi-Randomized Trial.
Trial report in Journal of medical Internet research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03918954 (Comparison of Physical and Virtual Sensory Room in an Inpatient Setting), which is not on this map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Comparison of Physical and Virtual Sensory Room in an Inpatient Setting
Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Physiological Responses to Virtual Reality-Based Stress Regulation and Relaxation Interventions: A Systematic Review.Stress and health : journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress · 2026Pooled it
- Immersive Technologies in Forensic Mental Health and Prison Settings: Scoping Review.JMIR mental health · 2026Article
- A systematic review on mindfulness-based immersive interventions in depressive disorders.Npj mental health research · 2026Review
- Effects of Virtual Nature Embodiment on Compassion, Empathy, Nature Connectedness, and Symptom Burden in Patients With Psychosis or Depression: An Explorative Clinical Study.JMIR serious games · 2026Article
- Assessing Patient Acceptance of Being Offered a Virtual Calm Room in Psychiatric Inpatient Care: Mixed Methods Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Virtual reality relaxation for hospitals: A novel stress-reduction intervention for patients, families, and staff.Future healthcare journal · 2025Article
- Editorial: Digital tools for relaxation and stress management: use, effectiveness and implementation.Frontiers in digital health · 2024Article
- Article
- Digitally Assisted Mindfulness in Training Self-Regulation Skills for Sustainable Mental Health: A Systematic Review.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- Exploring the added value of virtual reality biofeedback game DEEP in forensic psychiatric inpatient care-A qualitative study.Frontiers in psychology · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundInterest in sensory rooms or so-called "calm rooms" in psychiatric inpatient care has increased significantly. In a hospital setting, their purpose is to introduce a relaxing environment to increase well-being as well as to decrease anxiety and aggressive behaviors. Calm rooms can also be used as a tool to provide self-help through a convenient environment for the patients and, at the same time, strengthen the therapeutic relationship between the patient and the professional. Recent developments in virtual reality (VR) have made virtual calm rooms possible, but these have not yet been evaluated in psychiatric inpatient care.
objectiveThis study aimed to compare the effects of VR and physical calm rooms on self-reported well-being and physiological markers of arousal.
methodsThe study was conducted in 2 inpatient psychiatric wards specializing in bipolar disorder from March 2019 to February 2021. Patients who were already admitted were asked if they were interested in using a calm room and willing to provide ratings. This study relied on the quasi-randomized allocation of patients to the wards, which either had a physical or VR calm room. Self-assessment scales (Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale-Self Assessment [MADRS-S], Beck Anxiety Scale, and Clinical Global Impression) were used to determine the participants' baseline level of depressive and anxiety symptoms before their use of the physical or VR calm room. The study determined the state of well-being measured using an 11-point visual analog scale (VAS) as well as arousal measured by blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) and heart rate before and after the use of the calm rooms. The primary end point was self-reported well-being using the VAS.
resultsA total of 60 participants were included-40 used the VR calm room and 20 used the physical calm room. The mean age of participants was 39 years and the majority were women (35/60, 58%). Analysis of VAS measurement showed improved well-being at the group level from before to after the intervention (P<.05), with no statistically significant difference in effects between the 2 different interventions. Effects were not moderated by baseline depression levels (dichotomized as MADRS-S >20 or ≤20) despite an overall difference in reported well-being between subgroups.
conclusionsAlthough the power in this study was low, the findings of this first study indicate comparable effects with respect to well-being and arousal of a VR calm room and a physical calm room. This suggests that a VR calm room can be a viable alternative when the use of a physical calm room is not an option for logistic or other reasons.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03918954; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03918954.
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