Design and Evaluation of a Virtual Reality Meditation Experience to Reduce Stress and Prevent Burnout in Healthcare Professionals

Carolina Caetano Ruas da Silva

Key information

Authors:

Carolina Caetano Ruas da Silva (Carolina Caetano Ruas da Silva)

Supervisors:

Maria Alexandra da Silva Valente de Almeida Resende; Daniel Simões Lopes (Daniel Simões Lopes)

Published in

December 3, 2025

Abstract

Burnout and stress are major challenges among healthcare professionals, compromising well-being, performance, and patient care. Relaxation and mindfulness programmes have shown promising results in mitigating stress; however, most existing interventions are generic and not tailored to the specific demands of clinical work, which limits their relevance and integration into daily routines. Digital and immersive technologies, such as Virtual Reality (VR), offer new opportunities to deliver brief, engaging, and context-adapted interventions directly within the workplace. This study aimed to design and evaluate a short VR-based meditation experience to promote stress reduction and mindfulness in healthcare contexts. The virtual environment, consisting of a tranquil forest pathway, was developed following user-centred design principles and implemented in Unity 2022.3 LTS for use with the Meta Quest 2 headset. Thirteen healthcare students participated in a guided VR meditation session, during which stress, mindfulness, presence, and usability were assessed using validated self-report instruments. Results revealed a marked decrease in distress and worry, coupled with increased engagement and mindfulness-consistent processes. Participants described the experience as calming, immersive, and easy to use, reporting a strong sense of presence and overall comfort. These findings highlight the potential of short VR meditation experiences as feasible, low-intensity interventions to foster emotional regulation, enhance well-being, and support burnout prevention in healthcare contexts.