Dr. Sumin Shin, MESA Researcher, presented the project titled "The Effects of Video Background and Device Type on Mental Health: A Study of Meditation Videos Among College Students" at the 2025 Midwinter AEJMC Conference. This paper investigates how different aspects of meditation videos impact mental health outcomes among university students. The study examines two key variables: video background (classroom versus nature settings) and viewing device (VR versus computer), while measuring effects through standardized mental health assessments.

The research findings suggest that while meditation videos can improve mental health regardless of the viewing device used, the environmental context significantly influences effectiveness. Nature-based meditation videos produce notably better distress tolerance, psychological well-being and mood outcomes than classroom settings. This research contributes valuable insights for designing digital mental health resources for young adults, highlighting that environmental context in meditation videos plays a crucial role in enhancing psychological well-being, while the specific digital device used for viewing appears less influential on outcomes. This study advances our understanding of how media and environmental factors can be optimized in digital health interventions.

Three graduate students participated in this project: Shahariar Khan Nobel, Ralph Dinko and Jungyu Lee.