【Background and Objective】

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Virtual Reality Role-Play (VRRP) training designed to simulate interactions with parents, targeting newly assigned staff members (including recent graduates) at Child and Family Support Centers. The effectiveness of the training was assessed using subjective indicators derived from the revised State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and physiological indicators obtained through heart rate variability (HRV) analysis.

【Methods】

Participants were 11 newly assigned counselors at the Child and Family Support Centers in Ota and Suginami Wards, Tokyo. The VRRP training program consisted of three sessions. In each session, participants completed the revised STAI before and after the training to assess changes in anxiety levels. The VRRP was conducted twice per session, following the sequence: 1-minute pre-task rest, approximately 7-minute task, and 1-minute post-task rest. HR (heart rate), LF/HF ratio (an index of sympathetic nervous system activity), and HF (high frequency power, an index of parasympathetic nervous system activity) were recorded, and HRV analysis was performed.

【Results】

The STAI analysis revealed a significant reduction in anxiety, particularly in state anxiety, following VRRP training. HRV analysis demonstrated a transient increase in sympathetic activity and a decrease in parasympathetic activity during VRRP; however, post-training measures indicated decreases in HR and LF/HF and a tendency for HF to recover. Moreover, repeated training appeared to attenuate excessive sympathetic activation, suggesting physiological habituation and enhanced tolerance to stress.

【Discussion】

These findings indicate that repeated VRRP training may reduce anxiety in newly assigned staff members, with physiological indicators suggesting minimal psychological burden and a prompt return to baseline after training. Furthermore, the feasibility of delivering the program online, combined with the ease of recording sessions for review and knowledge accumulation, highlights VRRP’s potential as an innovative and practical training approach for novice staff development.