Polish study creates happy VR environments to help treat teen depression

Students at a university in Poland are conducting research into whether virtual reality technology could help support the treatment of depression among young people.

The study is part of a project partly funded by the Polish government titled “Inhale, exhale, immerse,” being carried out at the Opole University of Technology in southern Poland, as highlighted by local media reports.

Researchers aim to determine whether virtual reality experiences can assist in the treatment of depression in adolescents.

As part of the study, participants aged between 12 and 18 who have been diagnosed with depression will take part in 20-minute sessions wearing virtual reality goggles that transport them to a “peaceful” environment “inspired by nature,” the university said.

During six sessions over the course of three weeks, participants will perform guided breathing exercises while researchers monitor their stress levels by measuring indicators such as heart rate and subtle electrical changes in the skin.

The university said that the project will involve 50 participants in total, with half taking part in the virtual reality sessions while the other half will act as a control group for comparison.

Magdalena Nowak, a health sciences student and one of the researchers involved in the project, said “low mood, chronic stress, difficulties in relationships or concentration and, in extreme cases, self-destructive behaviour are real problems for young people.

“Although effective treatments are available, they don’t always bring full improvement. That’s why we decided to test whether modern technologies can also be used in therapy,” Nowak said in a statement published by the university this week.

She added that the immersive effect of virtual reality “can increase concentration” and “enhances the effects of relaxation exercises.”

The project received funding from Poland’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education and was one of only 120 initiatives selected for support out of around 400 proposals submitted nationwide.

Professor Sebastian Rutkowski, who is leading the study, emphasised that virtual reality is intended to serve only as a supportive tool and is not meant to replace traditional therapy. However, he noted that the immersive nature of the technology could potentially improve the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.

By Nazrin Sadigova