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Co-designing a virtual reality exposure therapy with students experiencing school anxiety: a proof-of-concept study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2024

D. Boyle ,
N. Morrin ,
J. Scargill ,
F. Mulvey ,
C. Heavin ,
E. Flanagan ,
B. McMahon  and
H. O’Connell
D. Boyle*
Affiliation:
Kerry Rehabilitation and Recovery Mental Health Team, Killarney, Co. Kerry. Ireland
N. Morrin
Affiliation:
Galway, CAMHS, HSE West, Merlin Park Regional Hospital, Galway, Ireland
J. Scargill
Affiliation:
Healthcare & Government Advisory Team, PwC 1 North Wall Quay, North Dock, Dublin, Ireland
F. Mulvey
Affiliation:
Roscommon, CAMHS,, Castlecourt House, Co Roscommon, Ireland
C. Heavin
Affiliation:
Business Information Systems, Cork University Business School, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
E. Flanagan
Affiliation:
Research MUH/HRB CRF UCC, University College Cork/ Mercy University Hospital, Cork, Ireland
B. McMahon
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, Children’s Health Ireland, Herberton, Rialto, Ireland
H. O’Connell
Affiliation:
University of Limerick, Laois-Offaly Mental Health Services, St. Fintan’s Hospital, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. Ireland
*
Corresponding author: D. Boyle; Email: Diarmuid.boyle@gmail.com
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Abstract

Background and Objectives:

Anxiety related school avoidance can affect up to 5% of a country’s students each year. VRET (Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy) is a novel therapy proven to be as effective as conventional approaches for treating many anxiety disorders. The aim of this research is to co-design and evaluate a VRET intervention for students experiencing school related anxiety.

Method:

Eighteen adolescents participated in design thinking workshops where they developed a script and storyboard for the VRET. Using an iterative approach, a VRET prototype was developed based on this work. Eighteen teenagers were subsequently recruited to engage with the VRET for one session each and provide feedback on their experience via a structured questionnaire (supervised by a study coordinator) particularly focusing on the ability of the VR experience to reduce school related anxiety.

Results:

Exposure therapy needs to produce an anxiety response to be effective. The VRET was effective in producing an anxiety response in 89% of participants. Results demonstrated that 93% of participants found the simulations immersive, 94% found the scenarios believable, and 83% could relate to ‘Dala’, the avatar in the videos. 100% of participants believed that VRET would help with school anxiety.

Conclusion:

This proof-of-concept study demonstrates favourable face validity indicating promise for this mode of intervention for delivering targeted support to anxious students. VRET could be used as a scalable, cost effective early intervention to reduce the severity of anxiety associated with school avoidance.

Keywords

Anxietyanxiety disordersavoidancebehaviour therapyschoolstudentsvirtual realityvirtual reality exposure therapy
Type
Original Research
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 41 , Issue 4 , December 2024 , pp. 469 - 477
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

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