Why Use Virtual Reality as a Treatment for Children and Youth’s Mental Health and Wellbeing: A Review

As extended reality (XR) applications in healthcare proliferate, from overlaying digital medical information onto patients using augmented reality (AR) to immersing people in virtual reality (VR) to treat mental health, it is important to assess impacts on vulnerable populations such as children and youth. Although VR mental health interventions for youth are increasing, research examining such interventions is limited. This review provides a detailed exploration of VR interventions targeting mental health issues among children and youth. The utilization of three VR capabilities, creating lifelike environments for training and treatment, tailoring environments for personalized therapeutic experiences, and employing characters for social interaction and engagement, are explored as themes. Methodological considerations and ethical implications are discussed, alongside identified gaps in the existing research, such as age-specific considerations, replication studies and exploration of effects when children and clinicians are virtual characters. Ultimately, the paper provides valuable insights for professionals and researchers interested in VR applications in pediatric mental health.