Can Exploring Virtual Reality Improve Student Mental Health?

CBA’s research arm, the Center for Educational Research and Technological Innovation (CERTI), recently studied the use of virtual reality to support middle school students’ mental health thanks to a grant from Sentara Behavioral Health. CBA school counselor, Mrs. Traci Haly, worked with CERTI Director, Dr. Shantanu Tilak, on the use of mindfulness and meditation delivered in virtual reality. aloeVR, an application developed by dynamic entrepreneur Vedant Peris, provides ambient environments to students inside a VR headset, training them in breath and body work, and social emotional skills such as self-regulation and improved social perceptions. Each simulation focuses on mindful breathing and techniques to calm, focus, decompress, and regulate strong emotions. Minigames and drawing tasks add an engaging dimension to these simulations.

The research study spanned eight weeks. The first four weeks involved students working as usual with our counselor, participating in check-ins about their week to share their successes and challenges. The final four weeks involved adding aloeVR to counselor practices. Students participated in a VR simulation, then a check-in with the counselor to reflect on their experiences.

“Students responded really well to the aloeVR program. They were more able to refocus on the present moment, which alleviated some of the anxiety they were experiencing. The VR activities helped them become more emotionally regulated and ready to explore solutions and strategies in our sessions.”
– Traci Haly, CBA School Counselor

Heart rate variability (HRV), or the distance in milliseconds between each heartbeat, was monitored using Apple watches to measure the impact of the VR intervention on student’s emotional state. Higher HRV indicates a slower heartbeat and more relaxed breathing. The results demonstrated that, on average, HRV was higher after VR sessions and showed a consistent upward trend, indicating students progressively became more relaxed with increasing VR exposure. While perceptions of socioemotional skill use were higher on VR days too, there was no upward trend. The results point to the fact that adolescents may not always be able to use the VR experience effectively without the support of the counselor’s presence to assist in processing this experience. So, while the VR experience was useful in regulating the body, the work of calming the mind was supported by work with the counselor.

In the next phase of the study, we will work to better understand how to pair aloeVR with a social skills curriculum so students can better apply the skillsets they are acquiring and transfer them into their personal lives.