Abstract
This study examined whether college students with self-reported education-related anxiety would benefit from virtual reality (VR) and psychosocial methods. Combined, VR and psychosocial methods show strong potential for reducing student anxiety.
Primary Author and Speaker: James T. Foster
Additional Authors and Speakers: Shelby Sullivan, Jordan Donelson, Megan Leong, Leyla Vazquez, Alexa Elicker
This study examined whether VR experiences could reduce anxiety in college students who self-reported performance-related anxiety. Additionally, students’ anxiety was assessed after learning self-directed psychosocial strategies for managing stress during test-taking and public speaking. Virtual reality (VR) has shown efficacy in decreasing anxiety in university students (Xu et al., 2021), and studies indicate that combining VR with psychosocial interventions significantly reduces anxiety compared to using either independently (Van Loenen et al., 2022). Nineteen students (11 female, 8 male) participated after referral through the university’s accommodations office or self-referral via campus email. Following consent, participants completed a needs assessment identifying anxiety-related areas, then participated in VR experiences from categories like hobbies, meditation, spirituality, and social/public speaking, based on their needs assessments. Participants self-administered the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) pre- and post-VR experiences, with 14 HAM-A items scored before and after, as this scale has demonstrated usage as a self-scored tool (Thompson, 2015). Results showed that all participants reported reduced anxiety over 38 sessions, with significant drops in HAM-A scores (pre-test M = 12.66, SD = 11.35; post-test M = 6.57, SD = 12). The most significant decreases were in anxious mood, tension, and fears, with hobby-based VR sessions (e.g., First Steps, First Contact, Bait!, Beat Saber, Open Brush) used by 84% of participants. Eight sessions focused on psychosocial instruction in grounding, breathing, or positive affirmation techniques for real time use in stressful academic situations. They reported lower HAM-A scores (M = 4) after applying these techniques. Combined, VR and psychosocial methods show strong potential for reducing college student anxiety.
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Van Loenen, I., Scholten, W., Muntingh, A., Smit, J., & Batelann, N. (2022). The effectiveness of virtual reality exposure–based cognitive behavioral therapy for severe anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder: Meta-analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.2196/26736
Xu, W., Liang, H. N., Baghaei, N., Ma, X., Yu, K., Meng, X., & Wen, S. (2021). Effects of an immersive virtual reality exergame on university students’ anxiety, depression, and perceived stress: Pilot feasibility and usability study. JMIR Serious Games, 9(4), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.2196/29330