Schools using VR headsets to help pupils with stress, says report
Schools are using virtual reality to help students cope with exam stress, ADHD or troubled lives at home, according to a report.
VR headsets made by Phase Space are being trialled in all 15 secondary schools in the London borough of Sutton to help students struggling with anxiety.
Students are given a seven-minute program in cases where they have to leave class as a result of predetermined or anxious feelings and thoughts. The goal of the program is to help them calm down, regain their confidence, and prepare to continue learning by immersing themselves in VR for a short period of time.
The Phase Space website says it offers “immediate, effective mental health support” that helps young people “reduce feelings of anxiety, regulate their emotions, and improve their self-confidence.”
Zillah Watson, co-creator of the Phase Space program and the BBC’s former head of VR, said 90 per cent of students using the headset in the top 10 schools saw an immediate drop in their stress levels.
he said Guard program “led to improvements in student engagement.” [and] Decreased behavior and anxiety related to exams and assessments are evident.”
Lora Wilson, 16, explained in more detail what the program showed.
“You start in a room and there’s nothing in it and the light in the room slowly disappears and then you go back to almost black with the light and the room is coming towards you.
“It’s hard to explain, but it’s a truly wonderful experience. It feels like I’m somewhere else and I can relax.”
Aelisha Needham, deputy head of ethics at Ark Academy secondary school in north London, said it was mostly used in the mornings.
“We have students who feel quite unruly in the morning, especially when we make changes to their usual structure… [such as] “It could be a cover teacher, or they might be feeling a little distressed about something at home, or they might not have had breakfast, or they might be having friend problems, or they might not have done their homework,” she told the paper.
The school uses VR sets mainly for students who have social, emotional or mental health issues or suffer from ADHD or anxiety.
He says students are “much calmer” after using the headsets, and there is a reduction in “instances such as transfers from classes where students are asked to leave because they are deregulated.”
It’s “really positive” to see students wanting to use the program when they feel overwhelmed to “solidify themselves” rather than quitting classes.
Ms Wilson said exams didn’t scare her as much anymore and the headset had helped boost her confidence in her schoolwork.
It is believed VR could provide a low-cost, effective way for students experiencing stress and could be used with the adolescent mental health service (Camhs) in South West London and St George’s NHS trust.
Independent South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust has been contacted for further details.
