Do trait anxiety scores reveal information about our response to anxious situations? A psycho-physiological VR study

As the consequences of anxiety and depression have been compared to obesity and smoking as predictors of physical health, further findings, more advancements, and new technology are necessary to help those struggling with psychological disorders such as anxiety. This study investigates the potential relationships between Trait Anxiety or general anxiety scores and physiological and perceived reactions to a simulated virtual reality (VR) experience that induces mild anxiety as well as the ability to recover from the anxious event. The study additionally explores a potential relationship of a medical diagnosis on the physiological and perceived reactions to the simulated environment designed to induce mild anxiety and the potential effect on the ability to recover from such an event. Eighteen adults participated in the IRB (Institutional Review Board) approved study by completing a consent form, followed by the Trait Anxiety Questionnaire corresponding to the State Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y-2 to assess general anxiety levels. Participants additionally recorded a self-reflected Likert-scale interpretation of their perceived anxiety on a scale of one to ten after each phase of the study (Baseline, Introduction, Virtual Reality, Recovery). The experiment was designed to elicit mild anxiety with an ambiguous introduction and a shocking VR experience. The results showed no statistically significant difference between those with higher general anxiety with Trait Anxiety scores above 40 and those with lower Trait Anxiety in their percent increase of heart rate and increase of self-reflected anxiety score between baseline and VR phases as well as between baseline and recovery phases. Additionally, participants with medical diagnoses of anxiety showed no statistically significant difference in their percent increase of heart rate from baseline to VR phases as well as from baseline to recovery phases than their counterparts without any diagnoses of anxiety disorders. There is a potential indication, however, of a possible pattern of individuals with higher general anxiety (Trait Anxiety scores above 40) having a less-severe reaction, physiologically and perceptively, to an anxious situation than individuals with lower Trait Anxiety scores. This could indicate the possibility of desensitization to anxiety with frequent exposure. Conclusions of this study call for further investigation into this potential pattern and evaluation of future assistive technologies for individuals with anxiety.