Exploring the Effects of Self-Avatars on Virtual Reality-Based Reminiscence Therapy for Young Adults

Reminiscence therapy is a method to improve mental health by stimulating memories of past experiences and sharing them with others. Virtual Reality (VR) technology has attracted attention as a tool to enhance the effects of reminiscence therapy, as it can provide experiences with a high degree of reproducibility. Meanwhile, VR avatars are known to promote episodic memory, but their effects on reminiscence therapy have not yet been fully investigated. As a preliminary step toward applying VR-based reminiscence therapy for older adults, we conducted a small-scale experiment with eight university students. We found that participants recalled significantly more detailed memories when their VR self-avatars were displayed than when they were not. However, no significant difference was observed in its effect on self-recognition.