Effects of an Immersive Virtual Reality Exergame on University Students’ Anxiety, Depression, and Perceived Stress: Pilot Feasibility and Usability Study

Immersive virtual reality exergaming serves as a viable, highly usable intervention for addressing mental health challenges among university students. By integrating physical activity with immersive digital environments, this approach aims to mitigate the psychological burdens frequently experienced within academic populations. The primary thesis posits that consistent engagement with virtual reality boxing exercises can yield measurable improvements in depressive symptoms, even when other psychological markers remain stable.

The study, conducted over a six-week period, utilized the FitXR platform to engage a cohort of 15 university students in twice-weekly sessions. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction and ease of use, achieving a mean usability score of 79.5. Quantitative analysis revealed a statistically significant reduction in depression scores, with a p-value of .01. However, the intervention did not produce statistically significant changes in participants' reported levels of anxiety or perceived stress, suggesting that while the exergame is an effective tool for mood regulation, its impact on specific stress-related psychological domains may be limited.

These findings contribute to the broader discourse on digital health interventions, reinforcing the potential for exergames to function as accessible therapeutic tools. By establishing both the feasibility and the specific mental health benefits of this technology, the research provides a foundation for future longitudinal studies. While the scope remains focused on a small university demographic, the results highlight the necessity of further investigating how immersive technology can be tailored to address a wider spectrum of mental health conditions beyond depression.