Search Results (252)

Background/Objectives: The aim was to identify patterns of autonomic and neuroendocrine reactivity to an immersive virtual reality (VR) social-emotional stressor and explore their associations with perceived stress and eating behavior. Methods: This one-group pretest–posttest study included 30 children and adolescents with obesity (15 boys and 15 girls), aged 8 to 17 years. The VR protocol consisted of two consecutive phases: a 5 min relaxation phase using the Forest application and a 5 min stimulation phase using a cognitively engaging VR game designed to elicit social-emotional stress. Physiological responses were measured using heart rate variability (HRV) indices and salivary stress biomarkers, including cortisol and alpha amylase. Subjective stress and eating responses were assessed via visual analogue scales (VAS) administered immediately post-exposure. The Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R21C) was used to evaluate cognitive restraint (CR), uncontrolled eating (UE), and emotional eating (EE). Results: The cortisol reactivity was blunted and may reflect both the attenuated HPA axis responsiveness characteristic of pediatric obesity and the moderate psychological challenge of the VR stressor used in this study. Two distinct autonomic response patterns were identified via exploratory factor analysis: (1) parasympathetic reactivity, associated with increased RMSSD and SDNN and decreased LF/HF, and (2) sympathetic activation, associated with increased heart rate and alpha-amylase levels and reduced RR intervals. Parasympathetic reactivity was correlated with lower perceived stress and anxiety, but also paradoxically with higher uncontrolled eating (UE). In contrast, sympathetic activation was associated with greater cognitive restraint (CR) and higher anxiety ratings. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that immersive VR game exposure elicits measurable autonomic and subjective stress responses in children and adolescents with obesity, and that individual differences in physiological reactivity are relevantly associated with eating behavior traits. The findings suggest that parasympathetic and sympathetic profiles may represent distinct behavioral patterns with implications for targeted intervention. Full article

Background/Objectives: Improvements in depression and anxiety, associated with moderate increases in physical activity, might induce reductions in emotional eating, especially in women with obesity, where emotion-driven eating is highly problematic. This pilot, field-based study sought to assess whether physical activity increase, itself, primarily predicts improved mood (biochemical theories) or if psychosocial factors associated with cognitive–behavioral treatment are principal correlates (behavioral theories). An aim was to inform improved treatment processes. Methods: Women with obesity participated in 6-month community-based behavioral obesity treatments emphasizing either: (a) standard education in weight-reduction methods (n = 28), (b) eating-related self-regulation methods (n = 24), or (c) self-regulation + relaxation training (n = 24). They completed a series of behavioral and psychological self-reports at baseline and Months 3 and 6. Results: Findings confirmed no significant difference in 3-month increases in physical activity, by group. There were significantly greater overall improvements in depression, emotional eating, self-regulation, and self-efficacy across the two self-regulation-focused groups (ps < 0.02), with anxiety improvement not reaching significance (p = 0.055). Separate significant paths from 3-month changes in depression and anxiety → self-efficacy change → emotional eating change were found. The same significant path was detected emanating from 6-month anxiety change; however, the hypothesized path of 6-month changes in depression → self-regulation → self-efficacy → emotional eating was, rather, significant. Weight reduction was considerably greater in the two self-regulation-based groups (~6% reduction), with simultaneously entered changes in self-regulation and self-efficacy significant predictors of those weight changes. Conclusions: Findings suggested viability in behavioral theory-driven explanations of the physical activity-mood improvement relationship. Future treatment foci on self-regulatory skills development leading to improvements in eating-related self-efficacy, emotional eating, and weight were suggested to extend the findings of this pilot study. Full article

Background: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a complex, disabling condition marked by non-specific symptoms in response to low-level chemical exposures. It often leads to substantial impairments in quality of life, psychological health, and daily functioning. Although non-pharmacological approaches—such as lifestyle and psychological interventions—are widely used, their clinical effectiveness remains unclear. Objective: We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of lifestyle-based approaches in improving clinical and psychosocial outcomes in adults with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD420251013537). Literature searches were carried out in MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate between March and April 2025. Eligible studies included adults (≥18 years) with a confirmed diagnosis of MCS and reported outcomes such as perceived stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, or quality of life. Methodological quality and risk of bias were independently assessed using the PEDro scale, NIH Quality Assessment Tool, CEBMa checklist, and Cochrane RoB 2.0. Results: Twelve studies (N = 378) met the inclusion criteria. Cognitive and behavioral therapies demonstrated the most consistent evidence of efficacy, with reductions in symptom severity, maladaptive cognitive patterns, and functional limitations. Mindfulness-based stress reduction showed favorable outcomes, while other mindfulness-based interventions yielded mixed results. Exposure-based therapies contributed to increased chemical tolerance and reduced avoidance behavior. Electromagnetic and biomedical approaches demonstrated preliminary but limited effectiveness. Aromatherapy was well tolerated and perceived as relaxing, though its clinical impact was modest. Conclusions: Cognitive and behavioral therapies appear to be most effective among lifestyle-based interventions for MCS/IEI. However, study heterogeneity limits the generalizability of findings, underscoring the need for more rigorous research. Full article

Objectives: To investigate whether a Multimodal Rehabilitation Program (MRP) affects the change in visual–spatial abilities, especially attention, information-processing speed, visual–spatial learning, the severity of depression, and strategies for coping with pain in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) participants. Methods: The study was conducted between October 2021 and February 2023, with a 4-week rehabilitation program that included individual physiotherapy, manual and physical therapy, and psychological intervention such as psychoeducation, relaxation, and Graded Motor Imagery therapy. Twenty participants with CRPS and twenty healthy participants, forming a control group, were enlisted. The study was a 2-arm parallel: a CRPS group with MRP intervention and a healthy control group matched to the CRPS group according to demographic variables. Before and after, the MRP participants in the CRPS group were assessed for visual–spatial learning, attention abilities, severity of depression, and pain-coping strategy. The healthy control group underwent the same assessment without intervention before two measurements. The primary outcome measure was Reproduction on Rey–Osterrieth’s Complex Figure Test assessing visual–spatial learning. Results: In the post-test compared to the pre-test, the participants with CRPS obtained a significantly high score in visual–spatial learning (p < 0.01) and visual information-processing speed (p = 0.01). They made significantly fewer omission mistakes in visual working memory (p = 0.01). After the MRP compared to the pre-test, the CRPS participants indicated a decrease in the severity of depression (p = 0.04) and used a task-oriented strategy for coping with pain more often than before the rehabilitation program (p = 0.02). Conclusions: After a 4-week MRP, the following outcomes were obtained: an increase in visual–spatial learning, visual information-processing speed, a decrease in severity of depression, and a change in the pain-coping strategies—which became more adaptive. Full article

Open habitats in forests perform several important functions. In addition to enriching biodiversity, they have an impact on the diversification of the forest landscape, and through complex processes and trophic relationships, they provide greater sustainability in forest communities. It turns out that they are also important not only for the functioning of nature, but also due to their regenerative properties, through which people can improve their well-being and recover their mental balance. The purpose of this study was to determine whether and to what extent mid-forest open dunes and wetlands are able to provide people with feelings of relaxation and mental renewal. The study was conducted in June 2024 in one of the forest complexes located in the suburban zone of Warsaw. The experiment was conducted with the participation of 52 young adult volunteers. The experiment used a pre–posttest method. The subjects’ mood and well-being were determined using four psychological questionnaires: the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Restorative Outcome Scale (ROS), Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS), and Profile of Mood States (POMSs). The key findings from the research conducted are as follows: compared to the control sample (before entering the forest), exposure to all three variants of greenery had a restorative effect on the experimental participants; the water environment had the most favorable effect compared to the control sample (before entering the forest); and exposure to this environment provided the greatest increase in positive feelings and the greatest decrease in negative feelings. Research has shown that areas important for preserving forest biodiversity are also important for humans because of their high restorative properties. Preserving non-forest enclaves in forests and promoting their regenerative values for humans can be one nature-based solution to improve people’s health and well-being, especially for people living in urban areas. Full article

The accelerating pace of digital life has intensified psychological strain, increasing the demand for accessible and systematized emotional support tools. Relaxing video games—defined as low-pressure, non-competitive games designed to promote calm and emotional relief—offer immersive environments that facilitate affective engagement and sustained user involvement. This study proposes a computational framework that integrates sentiment analysis and topic modeling to investigate the affective mechanisms and behavioral dynamics associated with relaxing gameplay. We analyzed nearly 60,000 user reviews from the Steam platform in both English and Chinese, employing a hybrid methodology that combines sentiment classification, dual-stage Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), and multi-label mechanism tagging. Emotional relief emerged as the dominant sentiment (62.8%), whereas anxiety was less prevalent (10.4%). Topic modeling revealed key affective dimensions such as pastoral immersion and cozy routine. Regression analysis demonstrated that mechanisms like emotional relief (β = 0.0461, p = 0.001) and escapism (β = 0.1820, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of longer playtime, while Anxiety Expression lost statistical significance (p = 0.124) when contextual controls were added. The findings highlight the potential of relaxing video games as scalable emotional regulation tools and demonstrate how sentiment- and topic-driven modeling can support system-level understanding of affective user behavior. This research contributes to affective computing, digital mental health, and the design of emotionally aware interactive systems. Full article

Background/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic affected frontline workers’ mental health, including healthcare workers, firefighters, and police officers, increasing the need for effective interventions. This study focuses on the pandemic’s psychological impact, perceived stress, depression/anxiety symptoms, and resilience, examining if a brief virtual reality (VR)–based relaxation session could reduce psychological symptoms. Methods: In this preliminary study with data collected in 2025 from frontline workers who had served during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, 54 frontline workers completed a baseline assessment of the perceived psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic, general perceived well-being, perceived stress (PSS-4), anxiety/depression (PHQ-4) and resilience (RS-25). Each participant then engaged in a 10-min immersive VR relaxation session featuring a calming 360° nature environment with audio guidance, after which questionnaires were re-administered. Paired samples t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVA evaluated pre-/post-session differences, and a hierarchical multiple linear regression model tested predictors of the change in stress. Results: Pre-session results showed moderate perceived stress and resilience and low depression/anxiety. Occupation groups varied in baseline stress, mostly reporting negative pandemic psychological effects. After VR, significantly perceived well-being increased, and stress decreased, whereas depression/anxiety changes were nonsignificant. Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a main effect of time on stress (p = 0.003) without occupation-by-time interaction (p = 0.246), indicating all occupational groups benefited similarly from the VR session. Hierarchical regression indicated baseline depression and higher perceived pandemic-related harm independently predicted greater stress reduction, whereas resilience and baseline anxiety showed no statistically significant results. Conclusions: A single VR relaxation session lowered perceived stress among frontline workers, particularly those reporting higher baseline depression or pandemic-related burden. Limitations include the absence of a control group. Results support VR-based interventions as feasible, rapidly deployable tools for high-stress settings. Future research should assess longer-term outcomes, compare VR to alternative interventions, and consider multi-session protocols. Full article

Introduction: People with disabilities are characterized by suboptimal health and lower self-rating health. Their need for health care is greater, they often have a higher prevalence of health problems and they have more difficulty accessing health care. The aim of this study was to assess the health behaviors and health indicators of 12–18-year-old young people with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder, and to explore their school-related perceptions in the Northern Great Plain region of Hungary. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted with the participation of 185 young people. A custom questionnaire was used, based on the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey, assessing eating habits, oral care, physical activity, mental well-being, and self-reported health status. The sample was categorized into three groups: the ID1 (Intellectual Disability level 1) group, encompassing young individuals with mild intellectual disability; the ID2 group, encompassing young people with moderate intellectual disability; and the ID+ASD group, encompassing young individuals affected by both intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. Results: Consumption of various food types was below optimal levels. Low intake of fruits and vegetables was common, with only 21.6% of the respondents consuming fruit daily and 23.8% consuming vegetables daily. ID1 group reported significantly higher rates of nervousness several times a week (17.8% vs. 5.6% and 6.9%, p < 0.001), sleep difficulties (28.8% vs. 7.4% and 15.5%, p = 0.032), and dizziness (9.6% vs. 1.9% and 3.4%, p = 0.022) compared to the other two groups. A third school-related factor, related to negative emotions, showed a near-significant difference (p = 0.064), suggesting that students with both autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability perceive lower levels of acceptance from teachers. On school-free days, computer usage was significantly highest in the ID+ASD group; 50% of them used a computer for at least 4 h per day. Conclusions: To improve mental well-being among affected children, psychological support and the implementation of mental health programs are recommended. In addition to teaching stress management techniques and coping mechanisms, integrating relaxation techniques into comprehensive developmental programs—both individually and in groups—is advised. For teachers, it is recommended to acquire disability-specific communication strategies. Full article

Background and Objectives: Chronic respiratory diseases, such as COPD, cystic fibrosis, and post-COVID-19, are frequently accompanied by psychological distress and physical impairment. As a non-pharmacological intervention, progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) may benefit these patients psychologically and physiologically. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effects of PMR on anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep quality, dyspnea, and pulmonary function in patients with COPD, CF, and COVID-19. Materials and Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Cochrane, SpringerLink, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Eligible studies assessed PMR in adult patients with COPD, CF, or COVID-19. Psychological and physical outcomes were extracted, and methodological quality and risk of bias were evaluated using standardized tools. Results: A total of 32 studies were included in the analysis. PMR was consistently associated with reductions in anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep-related distress, particularly in patients with COPD and COVID-19. Some also reported improvements in dyspnea and mild pulmonary function tests, but these were more variable. Only one study evaluated PMR in patients with cystic fibrosis, providing the first clinical data for this group. Interventions were predominantly short-term, with significant variation in design, duration, and methodology, and the risk of bias was often moderate or high. Conclusions: PMR is a helpful strategy in treating chronic respiratory diseases, particularly for reducing psychological distress and improving sleep. However, the evidence is limited by methodological variations and lack of long-term follow-up. Rigorous research is needed to support clinical application, particularly in cystic fibrosis. Full article

This study uses generative AI to investigate the influence of building façade geometry on human physiological and psychological health. Employing Christopher Alexander’s fifteen fundamental properties of living geometry and a set of ten emotional descriptors {beauty, calmness, coherence, comfort, empathy, intimacy, reassurance, relaxation, visual pleasure, well-being} in separate tests, ChatGPT 4.5 evaluates simple, contrasting window designs. AI analyses strongly and consistently prefer traditional window geometries, characterized by symmetrical arrangements and coherent visual structure, over fragmented or minimalist–modernist alternatives. These results suggest human cognitive–emotional responses to architectural forms are hardwired through evolution, privileging specific geometric patterns. Finally, ChatGPT o3 formulates ten detailed geometric rules for empathetic window design and composition. It then applies these criteria to select contemporary window typologies that generate the highest anxiety. The seven most anxiety-inducing designs are the most favored today worldwide. The findings challenge contemporary architectural preferences and standard window archetypes by emphasizing the significance of empathetic and health-promoting façade designs. Given the general suspicion among many readers of the frequently manipulative and unreliable use of AI, its use in this experiment is not to validate design decisions directly, which would put into question what the AI is trained with, but to prove a correlation between two established methodologies for evaluating a design. AI is used as an analytical tool to show that Alexander’s geometric rules (the guidelines proposed beforehand) closely match emotional reactions (the desirable outcomes observed afterward). This novel use of AI suggests integrating neurodesign principles into architectural education and practice to prioritize urban vitality through psychological well-being. Full article

Background and Objectives: Dental anxiety is a common barrier to pediatric oral care. Non-pharmacological relaxation techniques like Jacobson’s Progressive Muscle Relaxation (JPMR) and Breathing Control (BC) may help reduce psychological and physiological stress. This study assessed the utility of JPMR and BC in reducing dental anxiety and physiological arousal in children and adolescents. Materials and Methods: In this observational study, 189 participants aged 8–17 undergoing non-invasive dental procedures were assigned to JPMR (n = 63), BC (n = 63), or control (n = 63) groups. Dental anxiety was measured with the Romanian-validated IDAF-4C⁺, and physiological stress was measured via blood pressure and heart rate. Pre and post-intervention data were analyzed using paired t-tests, ANOVA, and cluster analysis. Results: JPMR led to the highest reductions in IDAF-4C⁺ scores (Δ = −1.23, p < 0.001, d = 1.12) and systolic blood pressure (Δ = −9.4 mmHg, p < 0.01). BC showed moderate anxiety reduction (Δ = −0.64, p < 0.05, d = 0.61) with minor physiological changes. The control group showed no significant change. Cluster analysis revealed three response patterns: (1) high anxiety–strong responders (n = 58), mainly benefiting from JPMR; (2) moderate anxiety–partial responders (n = 74); and (3) low anxiety–non-responders (n = 57). Younger age and female gender were linked to better JPMR response. Conclusions: JPMR is an effective and practical method for reducing dental anxiety and physiological stress in pediatric dental care. Full article

Literature education is often justified by its presumed cognitive, social, and developmental benefits. However, little research has explored how students themselves perceive the relevance of literary reading in both educational and leisurely settings. This study surveyed 1641 Dutch upper-secondary students (grades 10 to 12) across various academic tracks. A self-completion questionnaire was used to assess students’ justifications for mandatory literary reading and their evaluations of 20 benefits associated with reading literature. Most students supported the government mandate to read literature in school, primarily justifying it by functional benefits, such as improving language skills and general reading proficiency. Cultural, social, and psychological justifications (e.g., fostering empathy or enhancing political awareness) were deemed less persuasive. Significant group differences emerged, with girls, 12th-grade students, and frequent leisure readers finding the benefits of literary reading more compelling than boys, 10th-grade students, and non-readers. Teachers tended to underestimate the persuasiveness of certain justifications, particularly those related to concentration and complex interpretive skills. The study shows that students predominantly view literature education through a qualification-oriented lens, emphasizing its instrumental value. Hence, literature education could place greater emphasis on fostering ethical awareness and social understanding to counter students’ predominantly functional perceptions of literary reading. Moreover, this study confirms the divide students experience between school-based and leisure reading: even enthusiastic readers rarely attribute more personally oriented justifications, such as relaxation and escapism, to school-based literature reading. Full article

Information technology (IT) professionals have been depicted as good examples of in-flow individuals and teams. Accordingly, their workplace is acknowledged as ludic and relaxed, while also immersive and productive. The present study discusses evidence of actions effected by IT professionals to institutionalize and reinforce this mostly positive image when they report perceptions about themselves, their cohorts, and their routines at work. The study involves the processing of two datasets of responses given by IT professionals to questionnaires on the state of flow at work concurrently with other phenomena of positive psychology at both the individual and team levels. The datasets included contrasting (positive and negative) attitudinal measures that enabled a statistical discussion on whether IT professionals overestimate the positive aspects of their profession. This study concludes that cognitive dissonance and practices of impression management are likely involved in how IT professionals address flow-related questions to reinforce a positive image at work. Recommendations for scholars and industry researchers involve better questionnaire-crafting techniques to minimize measurement and inference biases, as well as contrasting self-reports with actual behaviors to build stronger indicators of the work climate, the routines, and the mood of IT personnel. Full article

(1) Background: Immersive virtual reality (IVR) has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological intervention to promote relaxation and improve emotional well-being in this population. (2) Methods: This crossover study evaluated the effects of IVR on anxiety and psychological well-being in a sample of eight participants with mild dementia attending a day-care center. Participants underwent two conditions: an experimental condition involving relaxing nature-based VR scenarios (Nature Treks VR) and a control condition using personalized YouTube videos on a tablet. Each condition lasted 12 sessions. Assessments included heart rate (HR), the I-PANAS-SF, the reduced State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-r), behavioral observations, and a subjective response questionnaire. (3) Results: A significant reduction in HR over time was found during IVR exposure, suggesting a calming physiological effect not observed in the control condition. While changes in PANAS and STAI-r scores were not statistically significant, the PANAS score improvement in the experimental condition approached statistical significance (p = 0.054) and was just below the minimal clinically important difference (MCID), suggesting a potentially meaningful trend. Behavioral responses were higher during YouTube sessions, likely due to personalized content. All participants rated the IVR experience positively on the subjective questionnaire, indicating high acceptability, though social desirability bias cannot be excluded. (4) Conclusions: IVR appears to be a feasible and acceptable intervention for individuals with dementia, warranting further investigation. Full article

Objectives: The present scoping review aims to map the existing evidence on psychological and behavioral interventions targeting patients with narcolepsy type 1 and type 2. Methods: A literature search was performed using the databases Scopus, PubMed, and PsycINFO. Studies were included if they (1) employed randomized controlled trials, non-randomized trials, or quasi-experimental studies; (2) were published in English; (3) were published in peer-reviewed journals; (4) examined the impact of psychological interventions on psychopathological (primary outcomes) and narcolepsy-related symptoms (secondary outcomes); and (5) involved patients with a diagnosis of narcolepsy using recognized diagnostic criteria regardless of whether they were receiving pharmacological treatment or were untreated. No restrictions were imposed on the publication date to comprehensively map the available evidence. Data were extracted to address the review aims and presented as a narrative synthesis. Results: The database search yielded six studies. Treatment options for individuals with narcolepsy encompass psychological and behavioral interventions, such as telehealth interventions, meditation/relaxation therapy, and scheduled napping. The primary outcomes were daytime sleepiness, wakefulness maintenance, sleep attacks, the severity of symptoms of narcolepsy, sleep paralysis episodes, depression, and psychological functioning. The secondary outcomes were sleep-problem-related quality of life, sleep inertia, and sleep quality. The psychological and behavioral interventions exhibited variability in terms of the intervention type, personnel involved, number of sessions, and duration. Most of the contributions also lack details regarding the training of professionals and the specifics of the interventions. Additionally, the evidence quality was deemed low based on the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool. Conclusions: Although the importance of nonpharmacological approaches is well recognized, there is limited evidence to support the efficacy of psychological and behavioral interventions in narcolepsy. This is further complicated by the wide range of psychological and behavioral interventions available. Full article