Does VR take it all?: A meta-analytic comparison of VR and 2D effectiveness in health intervention

Jiyoung Lee, Joomi Lee(former Grady postdoctoral research associate), Sun Joo (Grace) Ahn & Nathan Walter (2025). “Does VR take it all?: A meta-analytic comparison of VR and 2D effectiveness in health intervention,”paper to be presented at International Communication Association annual conference, Denver, June.

Abstract: As VR use in health interventions grows, evidence suggests it outperforms 2D screens in enhancing perceived immersion and persuasive outcomes. This meta-analysis synthesizes findings from 28 experimental studies to examine how VR influences aspects of perceived immersion, like spatial and self-presence, and whether these effects vary by audience characteristics. It also investigates if the impact of VR on health persuasion is linked to its effect on perceived immersion. Results indicate that VR strongly enhances overall perceived immersion but has no significant effect on self-presence. While VR moderately improves health persuasion, spatial presence does not directly influence these outcomes. Tracking levels (3DoF vs. 6DoF) did not lead to different effects, though VR was more effective in increasing immersion among older adults and showed some effectiveness for individuals with low issue relevance in health contexts. This study provides a nuanced understanding of VR’s impact in health contexts and offers practical recommendations for health practitioners.