VR Meditation Reduces Parental Anxiety in Hospitalized Children, Study Shows
A study published in the Journal of Patient Experience by Stanford Medicine revealed that virtual reality (VR)-guided meditation significantly reduced anxiety in parents of hospitalized children. The research found that this technique lowered anxiety by 30%. The six-minute VR meditation immerses parents in a calming mountain environment, guiding them through slow breathing exercises. This innovative approach was particularly beneficial for Spanish-speaking families, who could access the meditation in their native language, addressing a major gap in mental health resources.
“We showed that VR is a reasonable alternative—widely available, quickly scalable, and highly effective,” said Dr. Thomas Caruso, senior author of the study. The research involved 101 parents who completed the meditation in English or Spanish and saw a significant reduction in anxiety compared to a control group. Parents who used VR meditation reported a significantly lower anxiety level, a result not observed in the control group, who used traditional methods like talking to a friend or listening to music.
Spanish-speaking parents showed a larger improvement, highlighting the unmet need for mental health resources in this population. Medical student Ricardo Jimenez, the study’s lead author, noted, “There are very limited mental health resources for Spanish-speaking populations.” His work was inspired by his own experience helping his parents navigate the healthcare system.
The study is part of broader efforts at Stanford Medicine to provide family-centered care and expand mental health support for caregivers. The VR headsets are now widely available throughout Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, allowing more parents to access the service. The team plans to continue studying the benefits of VR meditation and expand their library of VR-based materials for various hospital settings.
References: Jimenez, R. T., et al. (2025). Culturally Sensitive Treatment of Caregiver Anxiety With Virtual Reality: A Prospective, Pragmatic, Randomized Study. Journal of Patient Experience. doi.org/10.1177/23743735251326671.
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