Investigating the Acceptability and Feasibility of a Virtual Reality Experience of Awe for Older Adults Living in Aged Residential Care Facilities
Year: 2026
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The transition to aged residential care (ARC) facilities is commonly precipitated by challenging circumstances, including declining health, functional dependence, and poor psychological well-being. Following admission, many older adults continue to experience substantial physical and psychological hardships that adversely impact well-being. Commonly employed pharmacological and activity-based interventions are often limited by side effects, poor suitability, and difficulty addressing underlying psychosocial causes. A novel approach showing increasing promise for enhancing physical and psychological well-being is the experience of awe. While nature is recognised as a prototypical source of awe, access is often constrained for this population due to declining health and mobility. Virtual reality (VR) offers an innovative approach to eliciting nature-based awe by overcoming these accessibility barriers. To date, however, no studies have examined VR-induced awe within ARC facilities. This study sought to address this gap in the literature, using a mixed methods design to investigate acceptability, feasibility, and potential well-being benefits of a VR nature experience for older adults in ARC. Twenty-one participants completed a ten-minute immersive 360-degree VR experience featuring New Zealand nature footage designed to induce awe. Participants completed questionnaires and brief interviews at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and one-week follow-up. Interviews provided qualitative feedback informing acceptability and feasibility, while measures of awe, spiritual well-being, depression, anxiety, connectedness, and somatic symptoms were obtained via questionnaires. Statistical analyses showed that the VR experience was associated with high levels of self-reported awe and increased connectedness immediately after the experience. Qualitative findings demonstrated strong acceptability, with most participants reporting perceived well-being benefits and enthusiasm or a willingness to repeat the intervention. Despite recruitment challenges and two instances of questionnaire-related distress, the VR experience demonstrated strong feasibility for older adults in aged care, with high retention and safe, successful delivery of the VR experience. This study is the first to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of a brief nature-based VR experience designed to elicit awe in aged residential care facilities and offers preliminary support for its potential as an intervention pathway. Further research, conducted in a larger fully powered study, is recommended to validate these results and better clarify the mechanisms underlying its potential benefit in this population.
Author: Mihaljevich, Sophie
Language: English
Subfield: Human-Computer Interaction
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7161097707