This document discusses stress and mindsets. It summarizes research showing that an optimistic mindset is associated with better health outcomes and longer life. Additionally, those who view stress as enhancing rather than harmful are more likely to respond adaptively to stress. The document then outlines a pilot study showing that the VR game Stressjam was effective in changing players' mindsets to view stress positively, was highly engaging to play, and helped a broad range of people.

1. Stressjam,
mastering stress through VR
Bernard Maarsingh
Clinical and Occupational psychologist, CEO Jamzone
Head of Post Master Management Education University Groningen-PPO

2. • About the brain
• Stress and mindset
• A pilot study
Agenda

3. BRAIN
Diffusion Spectrum Imaging

4. Learning to play the piano

5. Synaptogenesis en pruning
DHEA Cortisol

6. Cortisol:
Helps the body to extract
energy from sugars and fat.
Puts digestion, reproduction,
cell recovery and cel growth
on hold
DHEA:
Counteracts cortisol effects,
enhances neuronal growth,
immune function and wound
healing.

7. Why a mindset intervention?
Research at Oxford, 70.000 subjects:
‘Given that optimism was associated with numerous
causes of mortality, it provides a valuable target for new
research on strategies to improve health. Associations
were maintained for various causes of death, including
cancer, heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, and
infection.’ More

8. Why a mindset intervention?
A large cohort study of over 28 000 people found that,
after actual levels of stress were controlled for, individuals
who believed stress negatively affects health were 43%
more likely to die prematurely.
More

9. Why a mindset intervention?
This suggests that adopting a stress-is-enhancing mindset
in the face of both challenging and threatening situations
may be beneficial, not necessarily because of its ability to
make the stress feel less negative or threatening, but
rather, by recruiting and magnifying cognitive, emotional
and physiological attributes that may contribute to
adaptive responses over the long-run.
More

10. Why a mindset intervention?
Taken together, the emerging body of research on
mindsets suggests that an important way to meaningfully
influence the stress response is to change an individual’s
mindset about stress (Alia Crum et al, 2013/2017)

11. Having a stress-is-enhancing mindset increases
1. DHEA responses
2. A more active coping style
3. A positive mood (without ignoring negative aspects)
4. Cognitive flexibility
5. Physical resilience

12. Our mindsets towards
stress are the building
blocks of the future!

14. Stressjam proves to be
1. Very effective in changing people’s mindset towards a stress-is-enhancing mindset
(effectsize > 1.1!)
2. A truly engaging game with very high scores on the parameters ‘fascinating’, ‘interesting’,
‘valuable’ and ‘appealing’ (PII).
3. A training tool that scores an A on personal involvement, usability and learnability (SUS).
4. A training tool with 'duration of game-play’ as a distinctive feature.
5. A tool that helps a broad range of people

15. Let’s play!!