Study Procedures
Anxiety, anxiety, depressive, acute psychiatric, depression, Depression
Inpatients were informed about the study. In total, 75 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria, of whom 15 declined to participate, leaving 60 patients who were included (Two self-assessment scales (the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale-Self Assessment [MADRS-S] and the Beck Anxiety Inventory [BAI]) were used to establish the participants’ level of depressive and anxiety symptoms before their use of the VR or physical calm rooms. To evaluate the participants’ level of symptoms of depression and anxiety, 2 self-reported assessment scales were used as well as the clinical global impressions assessed by the staff.Before the use of physical or VR calm room, staff measured each patient’s BP (systolic and diastolic) and HR (pulse). The patients were also asked to fill in a visual analog scale (VAS) covering their general level of well-being. BP and HR measurement and VAS assessment were repeated at the end of the session, with no missing data. The duration of stay in the calm rooms was determined either from the start of using the app in the VR calm room or from entering the door to the physical calm room until either exiting the app or the physical room.The study was conducted in 2 different inpatient wards consisting of 14-15 beds for patients with acute psychiatric problems. In 2017, one of the wards introduced a physical calm room aimed at reducing stress and increasing psychological well-being. Currently, the other ward does not have a physical calm room. Therefore, the VR calm room consisting of a pair of wireless VR glasses was implemented in the second ward.Flow diagram for the study participants.