ArticleHealthcare (Basel, Switzerland)2025
Are Virtual Forests Just for Relaxation, or Can They Enhance the Benefits of Therapy?
Article in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Impact of a Single Virtual Reality Relaxation Session on Mental-Health Outcomes in Frontline Workers on Duty During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Preliminary Study.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku in Japanese) is used as an intervention for improving mental health, with VR being used to create virtual forests for relaxation. BACKGROUND/
objectivesIn this research, we added therapeutic intent to a virtual forest with the goal of reducing social anxiety, with and without therapeutic instruction.
methodsFifty-eight first-year psychology students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: virtual forest only, therapeutic exercises only, and both combined.
resultsAll three conditions enhanced restorative effects equally. However, only the therapeutic exercise-only condition showed a tendency to reduce social anxiety. Participants in the combined condition reported more positive experiences and showed better comprehension of therapy content in the virtual forest.
conclusionsWhile the non-VR approach may offer immediate relaxation and possible anxiety reduction, combining the virtual forest with therapeutic exercises may yield better outcomes for sustained engagement and understanding over multiple therapeutic sessions.
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