An interventional study of VR (VR-Breathing+Mystical) and VR (VR-Mystical) in Slow Breathing, sponsored by Prof. Dominique de Quervain, MD. Recruiting at 1 site in Switzerland. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 35 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-03.
Sponsored by Prof. Dominique de Quervain, MD · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
A Four-Arm RCT, testing the acute effects of a Virtual Reality (VR)- based slow-paced breathing intervention on subjective and physiological markers of stress. The investigator hypothesize that combining slow breathing with immersive, mystical-type VR elements will result in the greatest stress reduction.
96 studies on the registry are indexed under Hypoventilation; 21 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 120 is above the median of 52 across 63 interventional studies indexed under Hypoventilation.
Browse Hypoventilation studies →Prof. Dominique de Quervain, MD is the lead sponsor of 20 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Contraception
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants engage in guided slow-paced breathing using VR that provides mystical-type visual feedback.
Device: VR (VR-Breathing+Mystical)
Participants passively view the same nature scene as in the first condition (VR-Breathing+Mystical), but without guided breathing instructions (i.e., they breathe naturally).
Device: VR (VR-Mystical)
Participants follow a slow-paced breathing pattern guided by a simple visual cue (expanding/contracting circle) on a standard computer screen.
Device: Computer (Non-VR-Breathing)
To control for the effects of experiencing VR, participants will watch a neutral documentary in a video player implemented in VR.
Drug: VR (VR-Control)
The VR-based slow-paced breathing application is designed to provide rewarding biofeedback for a specific breathing pattern characterized by prolonged exhales. As users extend their exhales, a veil of fog gradually lifts, introducing a mystical type experience. Over time, users are rewarded with a full 360-degree panoramic view of the beautiful nature scene, accompanied by relaxing music. After approximately 5 minutes of prolonged exhales, the nature scene responds to the user's breathing by slowing down, with falling snowflakes moving more slowly, further enhancing the mystical atmosphere. This intervention was designed to be visually captivating, mystically evocative, and emotionally engaging. Duration: 10 minutes.
Users will experience the gradual unveiling of a beautiful natural landscape as the fog lifts, and eventually, the scene slows down similar to the VR Breathing+Mystical condition. However, this application does not provide any biofeedback or breathing instructions. Users are invited to passively observe the unfolding experience, immersing themselves in the environment for 10 minutes. Relaxing music accompanies the scene. This condition relies solely on the immersive and aesthetic qualities of the virtual environment to potentially induce relaxation.
In this conventional breathing intervention, participants will be instructed to follow a slow-paced breathing pattern guided by a simple visual cue (an expanding and contracting circle) displayed on a computer screen for 10 minutes. This condition is designed to guide slow-paced breathing without incorporating any rewarding elements.
In the control condition, participants will watch a neutral documentary for 10 minutes in VR. This condition is used to control for the effects of the immersive VR experience. It does not include any components related to guided breathing or mystical-type content, or any form of rewarding elements.
Subjective stress
Subjective stress measured using visual analogue scales (VAS) on a computer
Time frame: Assessed before and after the 10-minute interventions.
Mood
Mood measured using visual analogue scales (VAS) on a computer.
Time frame: Assessed before and after the 10-minute interventions.
Anxiety
Anxiety measured using visual analogue scales (VAS) on a computer.
Time frame: Assessed before and after the 10-minute interventions.
Relaxation
Relaxation measured using visual analogue scales (VAS) on a computer.
Time frame: Assessed before and after the 10-minute interventions.
Electrodermal Activity
Physiological responses measured via Electrodermal Activity.
Time frame: Assessed during the 10-minute interventions.
Respiration
Physiological responses measured via Piezoelectric Sensor (detecting variations in abdominal movement during respiration).
Time frame: Assessed during the 10-minute interventions.
Blood volume pulse
Blood volume pulse measured via Photoplethysmography.
Time frame: Assessed during the 10-minute interventions.
Heart rate (variability)
Heart rate outcomes (e.g., HR, HRV) measured via Electrocardiogram.
Time frame: Assessed during the 10-minute interventions.
Perceived mysticality
Perceived mysticality assessed using the Mystical Experience Questionnaire-30 questionnaire.
Time frame: Assessed after the 10-minute interventions.
User experience
Average user experience measured via visual analogue scales (VAS) on a computer.
Time frame: Assessed after the 10-minute interventions.
Plan to share: Yes — All IPD (de-identified) that underline results in a publication will be shared upon reasonable request.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Statistical analysis plan
Time frame: IPD will be available after publication, study protocol (including statistical analysis plan) will be made available before start of the study.
Access criteria: All IPD (de-identified) that underline results in a publication will be shared upon reasonable request for scientific purposes. A reasonable request consists of a short description of the scientific purpose. Request will be reviewed by the team of the principal investigator.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Mar 2026 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Dec 2026, 9 months after the start.
Of 35 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Hypoventilation, half reached primary completion within 15 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 5 and three quarters within 26. This study's planned 9 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 35 studies reached it within 15 months; a quarter within 5 and three quarters within 26.
Since we started tracking on Sep 25, 2026, the dates moved once, on Nov 3, 2026: primary completion Jun 2026 → Dec 2026 and completion Jun 2026 → Dec 2026.
Earlier changes are on the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Prof. Dominique de Quervain, MD