A Hybridized Model Of Spatial Presense And Guided-Imagery Therapy Technique For Image-Based Virtual Reality In Self-Therapy

User experience (UX) is an important element in the success of interactive products such as virtual reality (VR) applications. One aspect of UX in VR is the sense of presence, which refers to the feeling of "being there" in the virtual environment. This study focuses on creating a sense of spatial presence in VR tools for self-therapy, specifically for stress conditions. Stress is a prevalent mental health issue in society, and Guided Imagery Therapy (GIT) is one of the common methods for managing it. VR technology can support this method by creating a virtual environment, as an
alternative to the traditional methods. Existing studies have applied the Spatial Presence Model (SPM) to develop VR tools, while GIT has been used as a treatment tool for psychological problems. However, no studies have combined SPM and GIT in self-therapy to reduce stress. Therefore, this study proposes a hybrid model for
Image-based VR (IBVR) that combines SPM and GIT for self-therapy (SPGIT4IBVRST). The Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) was adopted. The model development has gone through two main processes, namely model design and model validation. Content analysis and comparative analysis were used to
identify the components of the model, which were then verified through expert review. Then the model was tested through user evaluation of the IBVR self-therapy prototype based on three main aspects, which are spatial presence, user experience and effectiveness. The results indicate that users had a positive experience with the IBVR self-therapy tool and that the components of the SP-GIT4IBVRST hybrid model met the needs of this study. The proposed hybrid model can serve as a reference for developers and designers in creating IBVR tools for self-therapy, which can support the promotion of healthy mental well-being for society and humanity in general.