The Role of Virtual Nature Environment and Self-Agency in Improving Psychological Wellbeing in Student Populations in Nigeria: A Randomized Group Design

Abstract

This study examined the connections of virtual environment and self-agency and how they may increase the level of psychological wellbeing of university students. Participants were university students in Abuja and Ondo State. Participants responses selected for the study were seventy-two (n=72). Participants were randomized into 1^st control group n=24, 2^nd control group n=24, and experimental groups n= 24. Pictorial image and self-report questionnaires was used to administer well-established psychometric surveys and Likert type scaled Watson, et al. (1988); Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and Rotter’s (1966) Locus of Control Scale (LCS). This was a two-in-one study conducted in two phases: Pre-intervention assessment phase, and intervention and post-intervention phases. The pre-intervention assessment phase focused on how the predictor variable (self-agency) relate with student’ level of psychological wellbeing. Phase 2 of the study (intervention and post-intervention phases) was designed to evaluate the extent to which virtual environment enhanced psychological wellbeing among participants who scored low on the measure of psychological wellbeing. The results indicated that the difference between pre-test and post-test scores of participants in the experimental group was significant [t (24) = 13.23, p <. .01]. The outcome of these comparison implied that virtual environment affected those in the experimental group. Based on the findings of the study is recommended that technologically-based psychological applications should be developed in better improve psychological therapies that impact psychological wellbeing.