Critical factors influencing the adoption of virtual reality technology for improving mental health among university students: an extended technology acceptance model

Virtual reality (VR) technology has garnered substantial research interest as a tool for university student mental healthcare. To understand the drivers of its adoption among university students, this study aimed to introduce an extended technology acceptance model incorporating facilitating conditions, social influence, and perceived enjoyment. Based on survey data from 327 university students, analyzed via structural equation modeling, the study validated the model’s applicability in this context. Results revealed that while facilitating conditions and perceived enjoyment significantly enhance perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, social influence specifically impacts perceived usefulness. 74.0% of the variance in behavioral intention to use VR technology to improve mental health among university students is explained by the model. The findings provided a good understanding of VR technology acceptance among university students for improving mental health. Based on the findings, practical recommendations are discussed to optimize the deployment of VR-based mental health interventions for university students.