Effects of Gender and Age in Virtual Reality Art Interventions for University Students' Total Intentions

Abstract

Introduction This study investigated how demographic factors, specifically gender and age, influenced university students’ Total Intention (TI) to engage in Virtual Reality Art Interventions (VRAI) aimed at promoting mental health. Previous studies largely focused on Use Intention (UI), while limited research examined demographic impacts on overall TI toward VRAI participation. Methods A quantitative research design was employed. Data were collected from 82 Chinese university students undergoing psychological counselling using a validated questionnaire. Gender differences were assessed through both parametric (two-tailed independent samples t-test) and non-parametric (two-tailed Mann-Whitney U test) methods. A one-way ANOVA was conducted to evaluate the association between age and TI. Result The analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in TI between male and female participants (α = 0.05). Additionally, no significant relationship was found between age and TI. These results indicated that neither gender- nor age-specific modifications were necessary for VRAI program design. Conclusions The findings demonstrated the broad applicability of VRAI across gender and age groups and suggested the robustness of TI regardless of demographic differences. This study clarified the influence of demographic factors on digital mental health interventions and offered practical insights for designing inclusive VRAI initiatives in higher education contexts.