Virtual reality could soothe hospital anxiety, stanford trial hopes
NCT ID NCT06935604
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Aug 19, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This Stanford study tests whether a short virtual reality mindfulness session can improve mental well-being and reduce anxiety in hospitalized adults. 42 participants will try the VR app and also receive standard care, acting as their own comparison. The goal is to see if immersive relaxation can help patients feel better during their hospital stay.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- virtual reality mindfulness application
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a drug-free way to help hospitalized patients feel calmer and less anxious.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small early trial with only 42 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The effect may be no better than standard care.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
About 42 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
May 2026
- Expected to finish
-
May 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 99 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18 years and above * Able to provide informed consent * Able to follow verbal instructions * Adequate motor skills for upper extremities to operate VR equipment * Clinically stable * English speaking * Willing to participate in mindfulness activities Exclusion Criteria: * Severe cognitive impairment * Clinically unstable * Facial trauma prohibiting headset use * Physical limitations in facial, neck, upper extremities that hinder use of VR equipment * History of seizures or other neurological conditions * Severe motion sickness * Active nausea * Severe visual impairment * Severe cognitive impairment
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for AFFECT are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Stanford Health Care (SHC)
RECRUITINGPalo Alto, California, 94304, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Five simple signs could help nurses score surgical pain in turkish
- Can video games calm anxious teens?
- Can a group program teach teens to cope before therapy starts?
- Can green light glasses take the sting out of surgery?
- Can a Hands-On nerve technique ease Fibromyalgia's grip?
- Can free groceries and classes rewire daily health habits?