This study explored how final-year psychology students experienced their initial exposure to virtual reality (VR) relaxation using a scientifically developed application designed to promote emotional well-being and stress reduction. The aim was to understand how VR is perceived as a space for emotional regulation, embodiment, and reflection within psychological education. A qualitative exploratory design with a focus group approach was employed. Six final-year psychology students from the Universidad Austral de Chile individually tested VRelax for approximately ten minutes before participating in a focus group session lasting 90 minutes. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, emphasizing lived experience, sensory engagement, and meaning-making processes. The analysis generated seven overarching themes: curiosity and immersion, usability and learning, disconnection and reorientation, therapeutic potential, bodily and sensory awareness, expectations versus reality, and cultural and contextual reflections. Participants described VR as both calming and thought-provoking, highlighting its potential for emotional regulation and reflective learning while noting challenges related to adaptation, novelty, and environmental context. Overall, VR was perceived as an innovative and pedagogically meaningful tool with potential applications in stress management, emotional self-regulation, and professional development. The findings emphasize the importance of usability, contextual sensitivity, and reflexivity in designing VR interventions that foster well-being and presence, as well as the need for cultural and institutional adaptation to ensure that VR-based relaxation tools are not only technologically effective but also culturally resonant and ethically grounded within Latin American contexts. • Virtual reality (VR) offers immersive experiences that support emotional regulation. • Psychology students describe VR as calming, engaging, and thought-provoking. • Reflexive thematic analysis revealed seven themes of sensory and emotional learning. • Embodiment and presence are key mechanisms in VR-based relaxation experiences. • Cultural context shapes how Latin American users interpret and value VR immersion.
Moraga et al. (Sun,) studied this question.