An Exploration of the Role of Virtual Reality in Early Childhood: A Qualitative Study Focusing on Parents’ and Carers’ Perspectives

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the potential role of virtual reality (VR) in the early childhood development (ages four to six) of Saudi children based on a qualitative approach: subjective data were collected by interviewing 20 parents or carers of Saudi children who use VR. Each child’s parents or carers were selected for interview as a couple. A semi-structured interview was held with each mother, father or carer. Traditional views in Saudi Arabia were compared with those of Saudis living in the UK, which has a different culture. Participants reported some positive effects of VR on their children: they perceived it as a source of distraction from pain and fear, in some cases at the physiological level. Participants considered VR to be beneficial for developing cognitive and academic skills, self-awareness, self-confidence and empathy. VR also improved self-regulation at the emotional and behavioural levels, including attention control, working memory, impulse inhibition, waiting for one’s turn and task completion. However, participants also reported adverse effects, indicating specific health risks, false memories and addiction at the physiological level; reservations existed concerning inappropriate content at the cognitive level. Other undesirable effects attributed to VR included social isolation, inability to control emotional expression at the emotional and social levels and encouragement of anger at the behavioural level. These results indicate that VR is a viable choice for young children, though adult supervision is still required. However, they also offer a warning about the effects that may result from VR overuse or misuse. The study also showed a lack of meaningful content and variety in commercial VR games, and thus it would benefit from the participation of educators and specialists in developing design strategies. This project represents a novel preliminary approach for future research concerning the influence of VR on the essential aspects of early childhood development.