Virtual Reality Therapy (VRT) Intervention in Guidance and Counseling Services to Create Violence-Free Schools

Aryani, Eka
Amat, Salleh
Taqwa Prasetyaningrum, Putri
Hadi, Abdul
Tuzzuhroh Nurbaiti, Anifa

International Journal of Community Service
Vol. 5 No. 3 (2025): August 2025 (Indonesia - Rusia - Malaysia)

School violence, such as bullying and intimidation, remains a crucial issue with a serious impact on student well-being, despite various preventative measures. Conventional guidance and counseling services, which often employ methods such as lectures and group discussions, are considered ineffective in fostering empathy and providing a deeper understanding of the impact of violence. To address this gap, an innovative intervention called Virtual Reality Therapy (VRT) was proposed and implemented. VRT uses realistic simulations, allowing students to experience violent scenarios from multiple perspectives: as victims, perpetrators, and witnesses. The program includes training for guidance and counseling teachers, VR content creation workshops, and implementation support, aimed at improving their technical skills and readiness to adopt the technology. Evaluations using pretests and posttests showed significant improvement. This improvement demonstrates that VRT is an effective and transformative tool for creating safer and more violence-free school environments.