This project incorporates healthy coping mechanisms for students who struggle with non-clinical anxiety through the use of a Virtual Reality(VR) application. Using VR, instead of a traditional application, allows the student to be fully immersed in a calming environment that projects a subdued tone. In this environment, there are rooms meant to support different coping strategies. The prototype room that has been created provides the player with the opportunity to participate in an art therapy exercise, which therapists sometimes use to help treat various mental illnesses, including anxiety. When the full application is completed, the combination of the environment and rooms will seamlessly work together in an attempt to help those suffering from non-clinical anxiety. Upon completion of the prototype application, its effectiveness will be assessed by determining the level of anxiousness the user feels after completing the exercises and comparing that to how they felt before using the application. It is the long-term objective of the research to create a game that can be utilized for helping students develop and maintain a healthy mental state.
