Depression poses a significant global health challenge, affecting a substantial portion of the population. The use of virtual tourism has the potential to assist individuals with mental disorders. This research adopts the conceptual framework derived from self-determination theory. In particular, this study employs a combination of single-blind, partial crossover, three-group, and two-stage randomized controlled experiments and longitudinal interviews to investigate the therapeutic mechanisms by which virtual tourism contributes to depression recovery. The findings indicate that virtual tourism facilitates the attainment of emotional equilibrium, fosters the development of personal strengths, and mitigates the adverse effects associated with depression. A virtual tourism intervention standard operation guide based on ethical protection and experience priority was proposed. This research study, which contributes to the current body of knowledge at the intersection of tourism, psychology, and evidence-based medicine, offers a viable noninvasive treatment approach and promotes the provision of care for vulnerable populations.

中文翻译：

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探索长期虚拟旅游的治疗潜力：为游客在抑郁症康复之路上赋能

抑郁症构成了重大的全球健康挑战，影响了很大一部分人口。使用虚拟旅游有可能帮助患有精神障碍的人。本研究采用了源自自决理论的概念框架。特别是，本研究采用单盲、部分交叉、三组和两阶段随机对照实验和纵向访谈相结合的方式，以研究虚拟旅游有助于抑郁症康复的治疗机制。研究结果表明，虚拟旅游有助于实现情绪平衡，促进个人优势的发展，并减轻与抑郁症相关的不利影响。提出了基于道德保护和体验优先的虚拟旅游干预标准作指南。这项研究为当前旅游、心理学和循证医学交叉领域的知识体系做出了贡献，提供了一种可行的无创治疗方法，并促进了为弱势群体提供护理。