Effects of a Virtual Reality Program on Youth Drug Prevention: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Youth illegal drug use causes severe medical and economic harm to individuals and society. This study explores virtual reality (VR) as a promising approach to drug prevention among adolescents. We developed a VR-based program and evaluated its effectiveness in improving their drug resistance skills, normality perception, and competence attitude using a quasi-experimental research design with 60 high school students in Las Vegas, Nevada. Results from the Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated that the VR program significantly improved participants’ drug avoidance personalities. Multiple regression analysis further showed significant improvements in resistance skills and competence attitudes. Findings from an additional post-intervention survey indicated that participants perceived the VR program as effective in increasing awareness of drug-related risks and supporting drug-use prevention efforts. Overall, these results suggest that VR-based interventions represent a promising approach to youth drug prevention.