Effectiveness of immersive virtual reality-supported interventions for patients with disorders or impairments: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The study objective was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (VR)-supported interventions for patients with disorders or impairments. Web Science, MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, and PsycINFO databases were searched from January 1990 to December 2020. We performed random-effects meta-analyses and calculated the standardized mean difference in the health outcomes before and after applying immersive VR-supported interventions. Forty-eight studies representing 52 experiments were meta-analyzed. Six different disorders or impairments were found to be examined in the experiments: anxiety disorders (n=40), psychotic disorders (n=3), poststroke motor impairment (n=3), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (n=2), amblyopia (n=2), and unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH) (n=2). The use of VR interventions resulted in improvement in the following outcomes for the six disorders or impairments: anxiety-related symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety), psychiatric symptoms, upper extremity function, cognitive function, visual acuity, and confidence in balance during daily activities and vestibulo-ocular reflex. Immersive VR has been mostly studied in individuals with anxiety disorders and can be effective in improving anxiety-related symptoms. Additionally, immersive VR has shown potential in motor rehabilitation after stroke and treating psychotic disorders, MCI, amblyopia, and UVH, and more research is recommended to further validate the current findings.