  The ability to regulate and cope with strong emotions is essential for
maintaining our mental health and well-being. However, learning how to
emotionally regulate can be a bit of a mystery since it is largely an invisible
process and it can be difficult to conjure up strong emotions to practice
regulating them. This is where virtual reality (or VR) comes in. VR is a
computer-generated 3D environment where the user experiences a simulated world
through 360 visuals, stereo audio, and 3D interaction with tracking sensors. VR
is a very visceral experience that feels 'real' even though you know it isn't.
If a virtual ball came flying at your head, you would duck! My past research
shows that we can provide VR experiences that elicit strong emotional reactions
so that people can practice coping and regulating their emotional responses.
For example, I helped create a VR experience of being in nature and then going
into space to see the Earth; it created the emotional reaction of awe and
wonder that led to a deeper connection with our planet. This shows that
emotional VR experiences can impact our emotions and behaviour both in VR and
beyond. My research proposal is to investigate the feasibility of emotion
regulation skills development in VR with teenagers. The idea is to simulate
emotional experiences (like the 1st day of high school) as a means to develop
emotion regulation skills so that they will be able to better cope with their
emotions. I will lead the design, development, and evaluation of this VR
experience and work directly with youth to meet their needs. This proof of
concept prototype is the first step in developing a VR platform that provides
youth with an effective way to regulate their emotions and improve their mental
health from their own homes, which will lead to improvements in education,
socio-emotional, and economic outcomes for youth in Canada and globally.
