Toward the Design of VR-based Mindfulness Training Elements for Law Enforcement Officers

Abstract

Stress is a significant factor in suicides among law enforcement officers (LEOs). While mindfulness meditation is recognized as effective for managing stress, it typically requires long-term commitment and instructor guidance. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as an accessible and immersive means to deliver mindfulness meditation. Core mindfulness techniques have been implemented in VR, though not yet adapted for LEOs' stress. Our study aims to provide VR-based design frameworks to identify VR elements applicable to mindfulness training for LEOs. We conducted two literature reviews and established frameworks that identified key aspects of meditation techniques (e.g., regulating stress), explored how they could be integrated into VR (e.g., visual feedback), and recommended potential outcomes (e.g., dynamic visual scenes reducing stress). Drawing from the framework, we synthesized VR-based elements that could deliver effective mindfulness techniques (e.g., element/particle diffusion representing exhaled breath). These findings informed the development of design criteria targeted for each mindfulness technique.