Application of Virtual Reality Technology in Psychological Skills Training for Athletes with Anxiety Disorders
Shuqing Dong, Hui ShiAbstract
Objective
Intense sports competition pressure easily causes persistent anxiety disorders and emotional instability in athletes, triggering negative mental states and damaging their mental health. This study explores the application of virtual reality (VR) technology in psychological skills training for athletes with anxiety disorders. It aims to verify the efficacy of VR scenario simulation in alleviating competitive psychological pressure, improving stress resistance, and providing new technical support for athletes’ mental health maintenance.
Subjects and Methods
Fifty athletes from different sports events participated in systematic immersive VR simulation training. Combined with professional psychological scales and long-term follow-up observation, this study recorded dynamic changes in athletes’ mental states, quantified their competitive psychological pressure level, evaluated their psychological stress resistance, and comprehensively analyzed the intervention effect of VR training on their mental health and psychological adaptability.
Results
VR technology can accurately restore real competitive scenarios for immersive psychological intervention. It effectively relieves athletes’ competitive psychological pressure and anxiety-induced negative emotions, stabilizes fluctuating mental states, and significantly improves individual stress coping ability. The VR training notably optimizes athletes’ mental health status and comprehensively elevates their professional psychological skill level.
Conclusions
VR technology is highly applicable to targeted psychological training for athletes with anxiety disorders. Scientific immersive simulation training can continuously reduce athletic psychological pressure, correct negative mental states, and cultivate stable stress resistance, thus effectively protecting and improving athletes’ mental health. This method provides a scientific and efficient technical approach for professional psychological intervention and mental health regulation in competitive sports.
Corresponding Author
Shuqing Dong, Taishan University, Tai'an 271000, China.