TY  - JOUR
VL  - 14
AV  - none
JF  - Forests
A1  - Mohamad Yahaya, N.A.
A1  - Awang Rambli, D.R.
A1  - Sulaiman, S.
A1  - Merienne, F.
A1  - Alyan, E.
UR  - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85149011111&doi=10.3390%2ff14020288&partnerID=40&md5=41408505631cdbf1344a699cee8355fd
N1  - cited By 5
ID  - scholars18841
Y1  - 2023///
TI  - Design of Game-Based Virtual Forests for Psychological Stress Therapy
IS  - 2
KW  - Forestry
KW  -  Beneficial effects; Forest therapy; Game-Based; Human health; Mental health; Mood modulation; Natural environments; Psychological stress; Virtual forest; VR
KW  -  Virtual reality
KW  -  accessibility; correlation; design; environmental modeling; mental health; psychology; social behavior; virtual reality
KW  -  Application; Evaluation; Forestry; Health; Life; Profiles; Stresses; Submersion
N2  - Numerous studies have reported the beneficial effects of natural environments on human health and wellbeing. Virtual games may offer a practical approach to experience the illusion of being in a natural setting for those with limited access to nature. This study presents an evaluation of a nature-based virtual environment application to modulate the participantâ??s affective and psychological state. We developed a game-based virtual therapy using the Unity 3D game engine by implementing forest therapy activities and designing the forest environment like a real-life forest. Eight healthy adults participated in this study and were observed remotely. The participantsâ?? mood states before and after the game were evaluated using the Profile of Mood States (POMS). In addition, the satisfaction and usability of the game-based virtual forest were assessed using the Game-User Experience Satisfaction Scale and System Usability Scale, respectively. The results revealed that participants experienced significantly improved moods (p < 0.05) and decreased stress levels (p < 0.05) after playing the game. Moreover, the results indicated multiple positive correlations between the game experience and immersion subscales, revealing that audio and visual aesthetics offered an environment for users to feel more immersed. The study suggests using virtual forest games to promote positive mood and mental health. © 2023 by the authors.
ER  -