African Public Sector Management (Public | 06 October 2010
Virtual Reality in Mental Health Awareness Training: An Evaluation in Urban Kenya 2010
K, e, r, u, b, o, M, u, t, u, t, h, i, o
Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) technology has emerged as a promising tool for enhancing mental health awareness training in urban settings. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-training assessments to measure changes in participants' knowledge and attitudes towards mental health issues. Participants were randomly assigned to either a control group (standard training) or an experimental group (VR-based training). Participants who underwent VR training showed a significant improvement in their understanding of mental health disorders compared to the control group, with a mean score increase of 25% on a standardised knowledge test. The findings suggest that VR can be an effective and engaging method for promoting mental health awareness among urban populations in Kenya. Further research should explore the long-term effects of VR training and its scalability across different demographic groups.