ArticleScientific reports2023
Social virtual reality helps to reduce feelings of loneliness and social anxiety during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Article in Scientific reports, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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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.
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Who cites it
21 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 49 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy of Technology-Based Interventions on the Reduction of Loneliness: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
- Effects of video-based natural restorative environments on mental health: a systematic review.BMC public health · 2025Pooled it
- Article
- Dine in or take out dataset: user behavior in an interactive virtual reality café.Data in brief · 2026Article
- Virtual Reality-Based Social Musical Exergame Guided by Self-Determination Theory for Young Adults With Depression and Anxiety: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR research protocols · 2026Article
- Immersive metaverse art as a psychological intervention for depression and anxiety: a narrative review and multilevel model integrating engagement, cultural identity, and neurocognitive mechanisms.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Review
- Metaverse dependency as a psychosomatic risk of immersive platforms: development and validation of the Metaverse Dependency-Related Experiences Scale.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- The temporal relationships between social motivation and social interactions in people with serious mental illness and recent homelessness.Journal of mental health (Abingdon, England) · 2025Article
- Health and Behavioral Characteristics of Metaverse Users in Japan: Metaverse Health Survey 2025.Cureus · 2025Article
- Insights From the Nihon Housou Kyoukai's Virtual Reality-Based Social Interaction Television Program "Project Aliens" for Adolescents With Psychiatric Disorders: Single-Center Case Series Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- MetaRehabVerse: The Great Opportunity to Put the Person's Functioning and Participation at the Center of Healthcare.Neurorehabilitation and neural repair · 2025Review
- Bridging Needs and Expectations of Individuals With Physical Disabilities and Community Services Stakeholders for the Cocreation of an Adapted Physical Activity Platform in Virtual Reality: Qualitative Study.JMIR serious games · 2025Article
- Age-related variations in mental health and wellbeing during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: a multi-country survey analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- The Role of Virtual Reality in Chronic Pain and Loneliness: Narrative Review.Journal of medical extended reality · 2025Review
- The relationship between physical activity and sleep disorders in adolescents: a chain-mediated model of anxiety and mobile phone dependence.BMC psychology · 2024Article
- Loneliness and Isolation in Psychiatric Perspective.Alpha psychiatry · 2024Article
- Using machine learning to understand social isolation and loneliness in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and the community.Schizophrenia (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2024Article
- Development Trends and Prospects of Technology-Based Solutions for Health Challenges in Aging Over the Past 25 Years: Bibliometric Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Article
- Effect of physical activity for reducing anxiety symptoms in older adults: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2024Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Evidence shows that the Covid-19 pandemic caused increased loneliness, anxiety and greater social isolation due to social distancing policies. Virtual reality (VR) provides users with an easy way to become engaged in social activities without leaving the house. This study focused on adults, who were socialising in Altspace VR, a social VR platform, during the Covid-19 pandemic and it explored whether social VR could alleviate feelings of loneliness and social anxiety. A mixed-methods research design was applied. Participants (n = 74), aged 18-75, completed a questionnaire inside the social VR platform to measure levels of loneliness (UCLA 20-item scale) and social anxiety (17-item SPIN scale) in the social VR platform (online condition) and real world (offline condition). Subsequently, a focus group (n = 9) was conducted to gather insights into how and why participants were using the social VR platform. Findings from the questionnaire revealed significantly lower levels of loneliness and social anxiety when in the social VR platform. Lower levels of loneliness and social anxiety were also associated with participants who socialised with a regular group of friends. In addition, findings from the focus group suggested that being part of an online group facilitates stronger feelings of belonging. Social VR can be used as a valuable intervention to reduce feelings of loneliness and social anxiety. Future studies should continue to establish whether social VR can help to encourage group formation and provide people with enhanced social opportunities beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.