Greater usage and positive mood change for users of a dynamic VR app before and after the COVID-19 pandemic onset.

Americans reported an increase in stress during the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Virtual reality (VR) apps have been shown to distract users from stressors in the environment, but little is known about the efficacy of specific content features to reduce stress or improve mood for consumer users during a pandemic. The present study investigated secondary archival data to explore how mood and usage behavior changed before and after the onset of COVID-19 for consumer users of a VR app with dynamic, interactive content.