The potential of virtual reality to support adolescent mental well-being in schools: a UK co-design and proof-of-concept study

Mental health interventions delivered via virtual reality (VR) technology are available for treatment of adult anxiety and phobias. VR for other mental health needs is now being explored. A small number of studies have examined VR acceptability and helpfulness for adolescents in conjunction with clinician support. No studies have examined the potential of VR to support adolescents in schools as a form of prevention. We present our early-stage work to produce and field-test a youth co-designed VR intervention for use in schools to support adolescent well-being. Co-design decisions led to a focus on stress reduction via emotion regulation, supported by a mindfulness-based approach. The prototype for field testing offered both structured and user-selected practices which the young person could hear and experience in a fully immersive, calm virtual environment. Two mainstream and one specialist setting field tested the resource, implementing it in different ways. Fourteen adolescent participants tested the resource in school. Users tolerated and liked the resource, and it was welcomed by schools. Adolescents with complex needs around emotion and attention seemed to particularly benefit from the resource compared to heathy stressed adolescents. Field-testing outcomes led to the development of a prototype ready for pilot testing.