森林體驗對中高齡族群健康促進效益：虛擬與真實環境之比較

Exposure to nature positively benefits individuals' psychological health. However, for urban populations or older adults with limited access to natural settings, the advancing Virtual Reality (VR) technology, coupled with a developing therapeutic theory, can offer a convenient and effective alternative. VR holds the potential to meet the mental health needs of elderly care. This study explores the differential impacts on the psychophysiological benefits for retirees and office workers after viewing VR natural waterscapes (waterfalls, streams, oceans). Utilizing quantitative methods, supplemented with qualitative interviews, the research aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing the application of VR nature to promote health across different groups and to propose improvements. The study recruited 40 participants from the Hualien area (20 office workers and 20 retirees) for the experiment. Results indicated that, psychologically, office workers experienced significant relief from negative emotions after watching VR natural waterscapes, including reductions in tension, anger, fatigue, confusion, and enhancements in vitality; physiologically, a notable decrease in blood pressure was observed after viewing. In contrast, retirees did not show significant psychological improvements, yet their physiological responses, such as systolic blood pressure and heartbeat, demonstrated a decreasing trend. Analyzing the three types of waterscapes separately revealed distinct emotional benefits for office workers. Regarding VR experiment improvement directions, questionnaires and on-site interviews about the use of VR equipment indicated general acceptance across ages, with suggestions for future video content enhancements. Furthermore, the study results highlighted that viewing natural waterscapes through virtual reality significantly influences blood pressure values and triggers different emotional responses to various natural waterscapes, affected by individual backgrounds and subjective factors like novelty and personal associations. Future research is recommended to further understand the impact factors on psychophysiological health promotion benefits from watching virtual nature across different demographic groups, especially targeting older adults and patients with limited mobility who have higher needs. This could guide the construction of virtual natural therapeutic environments, capturing the healing characteristics of virtual nature and exploring viable technologized green care methods.