An Image-Based Virtual Reality Tool for Self-Therapy

Virtual reality (VR) has been used to treat various psychological disorders including stressful conditions among high education students. It has been utilized as a therapy tool in managing stress and has proven to be able to decrease stress levels and increase task performance. Through the utilization of VR, users can experience self-therapy, without having to see a real therapist in person in real environment. This is especially for those who are having mild or medium stress levels. Accordingly, this study proposes an approach for self-therapy using an Image-based VR (IBVR) that is specifically designated for stress relieve among high education students. The IBVR tool was developed based on a traditional psychotherapy technique called Guided Imagery Therapy (GIT) with the spatial presence theory, to provide calmness to users through the feeling of being there in the virtual environment. For this study, a prototype was developed for user evaluation purposes with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of the IBVR self-therapy tool. The evaluation was done through a DASS-21 questionnaire in which users evaluated their feelings before and after the IBVR therapy session. The results indicate that the IBVR self-therapy tool potentially provides calmness from stressful situation and supports the mental well-being of the users.