Virtual Reality Multimodal Stabilization Intervention for Covid-19 Trauma Treatment

Abstract

THE COVID-19 pandemic had a serious impact on the public’s mental health and may give rise to post-traumatic symptoms. As the first treatment phase, stabilization focuses on reducing psychological discomfort after experiencing trauma. Previously, stabilization was performed by imaginative guided imagery (GI) and digital audio files. However, this kind of intervention limits the patient's imagination and ability to recall from memory. Virtual reality (VR) has been considered to have great potential in psychotherapy because of its characteristics of immersion, vividness, and interactivity. Our study proposes multimodal VR stabilization intervention that includes three stabilization techniques: light stream, breathing relaxation, and containment. We combined multisensory (thermal) stimulation and eye-tracking interaction in the VR environment. We conducted a preliminary verification of the treatment effect on groups that were at high risk of experiencing psychological trauma during COVID-19, including healthcare workers and COVID-19 survivors, and conducted a controlled experiment with a previously released audio-based trauma stabilization mobile App. The results show that VR stabilization intervention is feasible, and compared with the App group, the subjective unit of disturbance (SUD) and the objective physiological indicator, the heart rate variability (HRV) of participants in the VR group improved more significantly. Our research experience helps to enrich the research scope of VR technology in the field of trauma treatment through the evidence provided by physiological and psychological measurements.