ABSTRACT
Objective@#It is necessary to identify the mental health types of young women considering the importance of the mental health during the peripartum period. This study aimed to classify the mental health types in a community sample of young women with pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, or the postpartum period. @*Methods@#A total of 293 young women during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, or the postpartum period were included in this study. The clinical characteristics of depression, anxiety, perceived stress, and quality of life were assessed. The clinical characteristics of the subject were classified by cluster analysis and compared by analysis of variance. @*Results@#From the cluster analysis, the subjects were classified into three groups. Cluster 1 showed significantly lower depression and anxiety and higher quality of life than those of cluster 2 and 3. Cluster 2 demonstrated significantly higher depression and anxiety and lower quality of life than those of cluster 3 and 1. Cluster 3 represented the intermediate levels between cluster 2 and 1. @*Conclusion@#This study suggested that young women during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, or the postpartum period might be in a good mental health group, a high-risk group requiring active monitoring, or a group in need of treatment. By monitoring mental health, the groups with high risk or requiring treatment could be discovered and proper management for prevention or improvement of mental health and quality of life can be provided.
ABSTRACT
Background@#Several studies support the effectiveness and tolerability of virtual reality (VR) interventions in the psychiatric field. This study aimed to examine changes of cognitive performance in VR-assisted mental health promotion programs and to investigate the difference in performance according to clinical characteristics. @*Methods@#Thirty subjects aged >55 years participated in the study. The clinical characteristics of depression, anxiety, perceived stress, quality of life, and cognition were assessed. Cognitive performance in VR-assisted mental health promotion programs was compared between the clusters classified by clinical characteristics. @*Results@#Cluster analysis classified the subjects into three groups. In Cluster 1, the Module 3 training score was significantly different before and after VR performance. In Cluster 2, significant differences were observed in the Module 1 training score, the Module 2 training score, the Module 2 defense failure score, and the Module 3 training score.In Cluster 3, a significant difference was observed in the Module 3 training score. @*Conclusion@#The results of this study suggest that VR performance might differ according to clinical characteristics. A cognitive training strategy using VR has to be differentially established depending on the characteristics of the community population.
ABSTRACT
Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to develop a novel mouth contactless breathing exercise solution based on virtual reality (VR), and to test its feasibility. @*Methods@#We developed the Virtual Reality-based Breathing Exercise System (VR-BRES), a self-regulating biofeedback breathing exercise with gaming characteristics and a soft stretch sensor. The feasibility and efficacy of the VR-BRES prototype were investigated through a randomized crossover trial. Fifty healthy adults participated in the trial, and their respiratory parameters and user evaluation of the VR-BRES were compared with conventional deep breathing (CDB) exercises. @*Results@#The respiratory parameters, forced vital capacity (Z = 4.82, 4.95, p < .001), forced expiratory volume in one second (t = 6.02, 6.26, p < .001), and peak expiratory flow (t = 5.35, 5.68, p < .001) were significantly higher during breathing exercises using the VR-BRES. User evaluation was also significantly higher for the VR-BRES in terms of efficiency (Z = 3.86, p < .001), entertainingness (Z = 5.00, p < .001), and intention to use (Z = 3.22, p = .001) compared to CDB. However, there was no difference in convenience between the two methods (Z = −0.90, p = .369). @*Conclusion@#The VR-BRES has the potential to be an efficient breathing exercise solution. We recommend a clinical study that evaluates the effects of the VR-BRES for a certain period of time for people who need breathing exercises.