Public Perception of Extended Reality in Pediatric Healthcare: A Sentiment and LDA Analysis of Reddit Discussions

Abstract

Extended Reality (XR), encompassing Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR), is increasingly utilized in pediatric healthcare to enhance patient experiences, reduce anxiety, and improve treatment outcomes. This study analyzes public sentiment and thematic discussions about XR in pediatric care using 5,000 Reddit comments from relevant subreddits. Sentiment analysis reveals a predominantly positive outlook (65%), with discussions highlighting XR’s benefits in pain management and anxiety reduction. However, concerns regarding cost, accessibility, ethical implications, and long-term cognitive effects persist. Topic modeling identifies four primary themes: therapeutic benefits, financial concerns, ethical/privacy issues, and technological advancements. Temporal analysis indicates increasing positivity over time, particularly in response to emerging research. These findings underscore the importance of addressing public skepticism and misinformation through targeted educational campaigns to foster wider acceptance of XR in pediatric healthcare.