Elle Amelia Crawley

The focus of this research centres on investigating how virtual reality (VR) can support psychological well-being and a sense of connection to place for people living with spinal cord injuries (SCI). Although natural environments are widely recognised for their emotional and therapeutic benefits, access to these spaces is often limited for disabled communities. In the UK, reports from spinal injury organisations highlight this inequality, with a large majority of individuals with SCI reporting barriers when attempting to access outdoor or countryside spaces. Such barriers restrict opportunities to engage with environments known to reduce stress, elevate mood and support emotional resilience, revealing a broader disparity in who can benefit from nature-based therapeutic practices. 

In response to these challenges, this research explores whether immersive virtual nature environments can help bridge this gap by offering alternative ways of accessing the psychological benefits associated with time spent in nature. The project examines how VR-generated landscapes may support mental well-being and a sense of connection to place for individuals who cannot access these environments directly.  

The study adopts a practice-based mixed-methods approach that combines the design and development of VR environments with qualitative insights from individuals with lived experience of SCI. The significance of this study lies in its potential to advance understandings of inclusive nature-based interventions and contribute to emerging discussions on how immersive technologies can reduce environmental access inequalities for disabled communities. 

Names of Supervisors: Chris Lim and Gill Hubbard