Design of Game-Based Virtual Forests for Psychological Stress Therapy

Numerous studies have reported the beneficial effects of natural environments on human health and wellbeing. Virtual games may offer a practical approach to experience the illusion of being in a natural setting for those with limited access to nature. This study presents an evaluation of a nature-ba...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Forests 2023-02, Vol.14 (2), p.288
Main Authors: Mohamad Yahaya, Nur Ain, Awang Rambli, Dayang Rohaya, Sulaiman, Suziah, Merienne, Frederic, Alyan, Emad
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anxiety
Computer games
Computer Science
Design
Emotional behavior
Emotions
Evaluation
forest therapy
Forests
Forests and forestry
Graphics
Malaysia
Mental disorders
Mental health
Methods
Mood
mood modulation
Psychological stress
Realism
Remote observing
Stress
Stress management
Therapy
User experience
User satisfaction
Virtual environments
Virtual reality
Visual stimuli
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Numerous studies have reported the beneficial effects of natural environments on human health and wellbeing. Virtual games may offer a practical approach to experience the illusion of being in a natural setting for those with limited access to nature. This study presents an evaluation of a nature-based virtual environment application to modulate the participant’s affective and psychological state. We developed a game-based virtual therapy using the Unity 3D game engine by implementing forest therapy activities and designing the forest environment like a real-life forest. Eight healthy adults participated in this study and were observed remotely. The participants’ mood states before and after the game were evaluated using the Profile of Mood States (POMS). In addition, the satisfaction and usability of the game-based virtual forest were assessed using the Game-User Experience Satisfaction Scale and System Usability Scale, respectively. The results revealed that participants experienced significantly improved moods (p < 0.05) and decreased stress levels (p < 0.05) after playing the game. Moreover, the results indicated multiple positive correlations between the game experience and immersion subscales, revealing that audio and visual aesthetics offered an environment for users to feel more immersed. The study suggests using virtual forest games to promote positive mood and mental health.
ISSN:1999-4907
1999-4907
DOI:10.3390/f14020288