The researchers in a virtual reality (VR) mindfulness study are interested in publishing their work in the Journal of Immersive Technology and Clinical Well-being (JITCW).

The Journal of Immersive Technology and Clinical Well-being publishes empirical research investigating how virtual and augmented reality applications affect mental health interventions and psychological well-being.

Author Guidelines for the Journal of Immersive Technology and Clinical Well-being: • We publish empirical research exploring how immersive digital environments impact therapeutic outcomes or well-being. • We strictly require open-science practices; pre-registration of trial protocols and public data sharing in an open-access repository are mandatory for publication. • We prioritize randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that incorporate both self-report scales and physiological measures. • We operate a single-blind peer-review process: peer reviewers remain anonymous to authors, but the names and affiliations of the authors are known to the reviewers. • We prioritize studies that demonstrate clear practical applications for clinical therapists or student counseling services.

The researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with 90 university undergraduates, comparing a 4-week VR-guided meditation program to a standard audio-guided meditation control group. They found statistically significant improvements in self-reported stress levels and positive shifts in heart-rate variability (a physiological measure) for the VR group. However, the researchers did not pre-register their trial protocol, and they declined to upload their raw dataset to an open repository due to institutional privacy concerns.

Explain what the peer review process would involve for the researchers in this study, including a consideration of the likelihood of their findings being published.