Stress restoration in virtual reality : comparing the effects of equine, nature, and urban conditions

Stress restorative interventions often aim to improve wellbeing, reduce heart rate (HR) and increase heart rate variability (HRV). Since individuals with stress and anxiety disorders tend to experience chronic stress reactions, stress restorative interventions may be clinically relevant. Equine (horse) exposure has been observed to reduce stress/anxiety symptoms, but no study has analysed stress restoration during equine exposure in Virtual Reality (VR). Since nature-exposure has well-known stress restorative effects, relative to urban-exposure, the present study compared VR equine, nature, and urban conditions on stress restoration. Thirty?two participants (17 male), aged 18-32, with relatively low fear and experience with horses competed a stress test, prior to each VR condition in a counterbalanced order. HR and HRV were measured, alongside state anxiety, and the Global Vigor and Affect Scale, whereby vigour measured fatigue/alertness, and affect measured calmness/happiness. From pre to post-test, there was significantly reduced vigour (alertness) for the nature condition, and significantly increased affect (calmness) for the equine condition, while state anxiety reduced for both conditions, relative to the urban condition. This partially supported all hypotheses, with some evidence that equine exposure had an additive effect relative to nature exposure. HR was lowest overall in the equine condition but did not differ over time. There were non-significant differs of HRV between conditions, and over time which may be due to limitations of the recording device. Future research should continue investigating the physiological effects of equine exposure on stress restoration, which has implications for stress and anxiety disorders.