Virtual reality emerges as a supportive space for self-disclosure, with nature settings leading the way

New Edith Cowan University (ECU) research suggests virtual reality (VR) may play a meaningful role in future mental-health support, and the design of the virtual space itself can make a surprising difference to how comfortable people feel opening up.

Two studies led by ECU psychology researcher Dr. Shane Rogers show that VR can support personal self-disclosure by offering both a sense of anonymity through avatars and the calming effect of well-designed virtual environments. Together, the findings suggest VR is not just a novelty but a promising communication tool that could boost access to psychological support, particularly when traditional face-to-face therapy is unavailable.

The first study (Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science) compared self-disclosure across video chat, text chat, and VR. While video chat remained the preferred option overall, VR matched video for feelings of calmness and presence, and around 20% of participants actually preferred VR for discussing their personal experiences.

“One reason people like VR is that the sense of anonymity offered by avatars can help them feel more relaxed,” Dr. Rogers said.

The second study (Applied Sciences) focused on something often overlooked in VR research; the environment itself. Participants disclosed personal experiences in four virtual settings: seaside, garden, urban office, and sci-fi. They consistently rated the nature-based environments as more comfortable, calming and suitable for therapeutic conversation than non-nature settings.

Dr. Rogers said VR isn’t just about avatars and headsets, the space you’re in matters.

“We found that natural VR environments, especially coastal or garden settings, helped people feel more at ease when talking about personal experiences.

“That has real implications for designing future mental health tools,” he said.

Dr. Rogers said the findings highlight VR’s potential as a complementary telehealth option, especially for people who prefer greater anonymity or who feel more comfortable outside traditional therapeutic settings.

“These studies show that VR can offer unique benefits that sit somewhere between video chat and face-to-face sessions. With continued improvements in avatar realism and environmental design, VR could become an important part of the mental-health toolkit.”