653 - The Impact of Virtual Reality Sessions on Decreasing Stress Experienced by NICU Parents

Publication Number: 4639.653

Deepa Krishnan, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Brooklyn, NY, United States; Jon Javor, Northwell Health, Buffalo, NY, United States; Cindy Lin, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Staten Island, NY, United States; Quincer Samuel, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Staten Island, NY, United States; Eleny Romanos-Sirakis, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Staten Island, NY, United States

Background: Mental health challenges in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) parents exceed those of the general population. Early identification and intervention for these concerns during the NICU stay can benefit both parent and child. While interventions to reduce parental anxiety and depression exist, the impact of virtual reality (VR) has not been well-studied in this population. This study evaluates the efficacy of VR in reducing stress in parents of NICU patients.

Objective: The objective of the study was to compare parental stress scores, before and after a VR session, to ascertain if VR treatment significantly reduces stress.

Design/Methods: This prospective study was offered to parents of infants aged < 90 days with a minimum 1-night NICU stay at Northwell Health - Staten Island University Hospital in New York. Parents with a history of seizures or photosensitivity were excluded. After obtaining consent, up to 3 total VR sessions were administered to parents using KindVR technology: upon NICU admission, 1 week after admission, and within 48 hours of discharge for hospitalizations >2 weeks. Participants completed a modified Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21 (DASS21), a 7-item survey subsection focusing on stress, before and after each VR session. Pre- and post-scores were compared using a Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and were tested for correlation with demographic data. Significance was determined at 0.05. SAS Version 9.4 was used for analysis.

Results: Thirty-one parents were recruited, aged 19-41 years (𝑥̅=29.9±5.45) , and of whom 77% were female. NICU length of stay ranged 1-86 days (median 6, IQR 2-16). One parent dropped out prior to participation. After the first VR session, 23/30 participants (76.7%) showed a statistically significant reduction in stress scores (p < 0.0001), with reductions ranging 2-32 points (median 7, IQR 2-14). Prior to VR, 17 parents had stress scores considered normal (56.7%), 4 mild (13.3%), 4 moderate (13.3%), 4 severe (13.3%), and 1 extremely severe (3.3%). Post-VR, 28 parents had stress scores considered normal (93.3%), 1 moderate (3.33%), and 1 severe (3.33%). Younger age correlated with greater stress reduction (Spearman's Rho=-0.27), but this was not statistically significant (p=0.14). Four participants completed a second VR session with stress score reduction ranging 10-22 (median 18, IQR 14-20 ). No participants completed all three VR sessions.

Conclusion(s): VR exhibits promise as an effective tool in decreasing parental stress in the NICU, warranting further study and consideration for incorporation into clinical practice.

KindVR Headset


Modified DASS21
7-item subsection of the DASS21 questionnaire specifically pertaining to stress