Assessing the mental health support needs for Indigenous adolescents residing in rural and remote Sask: A mixed methods study exploring the potential of virtual reality technology

萨斯喀彻温省土著青年的自杀统计数据清楚地表明，目前提供精神保健的方法是不够的。我们以社区为基础的研究团队致力于通过在所提供的服务中探索虚拟现实(VR)技术的潜力，来解决萨斯喀彻温省土著和非土著青少年在心理健康服务方面的差异。利用虚拟平台将允许以响应用户需求和优先事项的方式构建环境。文化知识丰富的虚拟环境也具有增强自我和认同感的潜力。萨斯喀彻温省理工学院的研究人员与肯塔基州拉罗什的Dene高中合作，探索如何使用虚拟现实(VR)技术来促进土著青少年的心理健康和福祉。最初的目标是概述精神卫生支助的现状，并从土著社区成员的角度确定服务差距。在这项评估之后，将探索如何使用虚拟现实技术来弥补一个或多个差距或加强现有的支持。这项研究将通过与社区成员合作开发符合文化要求的精神健康支持，致力于提高土著青少年的心理健康和福祉。这个项目将建立在现有的利用虚拟现实解决心理健康和福祉的最佳实践研究的基础上。通过进一步加强虚拟现实干预，我们的研究将成为催化剂，推动虚拟存在在增强心理健康和福祉领域的边界。

Suicide statistics of Saskatchewan Indigenous youth clearly indicate that the current approach to providing mental health care is inadequate. Our community-based research team is dedicated to addressing the disparities in mental health services between Indigenous and non-Indigenous adolescents across Saskatchewan by exploring the potential for Virtual Reality (VR) technology within the services offered. Utilizing a virtual platform will allow an environment to be constructed in a manner that is responsive to the users needs and priorities. Culturally informed virtual environments also hold the potential to enhance one's sense of self and identity.Saskatchewan Polytechnic researchers have partnered with Dene High School in La Loche, SK to explore how virtual reality (VR) technology can be used to the promote Indigenous adolescent's mental health and wellbeing. The initial goal is to outline the current status of mental health supports and identify services gaps through the perspectives of Indigenous community members. This assessment will be followed by exploring how VR technology can be used to either address one or more of the gaps or to enhance existing supports.This research will work to enhance the mental health and wellbeing of Indigenous adolescents by partnering with community members to develop culturally responsive mental health supports. This project will build upon existing research of best-practices for utilizing VR to address mental health and wellbeing. By further enhancing VR interventions, our research will serve as a catalyst that pushes the boundaries of a virtual presence in the domain of enhancing mental health and wellbeing.