Virtual Reality Simulation to Help Decrease Stress and Anxiety Feeling for Children during COVID-19 Pandemic

The occurrence of COVID-19 pandemic has changed people’s life in every aspect, such as applying social distancing, the transition from offline to online activity are applied in order to decrease and stop the spread of the virus. This sudden change causes a fairly high level of anxiety and stress in society, especially for children because of activity restrictions. Various innovations, especially technology have been carried out to overcome the problems in distance restrictions that have arisen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual reality believes becoming one of the innovations that can be used to reduced anxiety levels and boredom during activity rectrictions, because it creates an artificial environment for humans to socialize. In this research, combine the Unity3D and blender software to build a virtual reality simulation with the help of virtual glassed to give a real impression of the virtual room that has been created. This VR application consists of three environments that children can use it to explore the virtual room without need being in crowded atmosphere. Based on the result of pretest and posttest questionnaire in 30 participants with the range age from seven to ten, it concludes that this VR applications can decrease the level of stress and anxiety in children by one to two levels. Besides that, this application located in acceptable area based on SUS score system.

@article{Putri2021,
  title     = {Virtual Reality Simulation to Help Decrease Stress and Anxiety Feeling for Children during COVID-19 Pandemic},
  journal   = {International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications},
  volume    = {12},
  number    = {12},
  year      = {2021},
  publisher = {The Science and Information Organization},
  author    = {Devi Afriyantari Puspa Putri and Ratri Kusumaningtyas and Tsania Aldi and Fikri Zaki Haiqal},
  doi       = {10.14569/IJACSA.2021.0121272},
  url       = {https://doi.org/10.14569/IJACSA.2021.0121272}
}