Effectiveness of Home_Positivity: A VR Program for Promoting Positive Mental Health. A Pilot Feasibility Study

Abstract Virtual reality (VR) has been recently used for the treatment of mental health conditions. While research shows symptom reduction, further investigation is required to ascertain the impact of VR on well-being indicators. This pilot study aims to assess the effectiveness of a new VR software, H.O.M.E (How to Observe and Modify Emotion)_Positivity, in promoting positive mental health, which implies addressing both psychological distress and well-being. A sample of 16 healthy college students participated in a six-session intervention involving individual interviews and VR experiences using H.O.M.E delivered at the university of Bologna. They were assessed before and after intervention and at 3-month follow-up with indicators of negative symptoms (i.e., Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and the Negative affect scale of (PANAS) and of well-being (i.e., Mental Health Continuum (MHC) and the Positive Affect (PA) subscale of the PANAS. Moreover, they were asked to report their satisfaction and comments on the experience of the VR software. Following the intervention, participants reported significantly lower scores at DASS and higher scores at MHC and PA. In contrast, NA subscale score did not change significantly after the intervention or at three months follow-up. The results provide support to the use of H.O.M.E_Positivity for the promotion of positive mental health. Participants reported a reduction of psychological distress and improvement in well-being, and they were all highly satisfied and engaged while using the VR software. These findings indicate the potential value of this intervention, particularly in an increasingly digital society.