Year

2026

Season

Spring

Paper Type

Master's Thesis

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Degree Name

Master of Science in Psychological Science (MSPS)

Department

Psychological and Brain Sciences

NACO controlled Corporate Body

University of North Florida. Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences

Committee Chairperson

Dr. Dongyuan Wang

Second Advisor

Dr. Lori Lange

Rights Statement

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Department Chair

Dr. Lori Lange

College Dean

Dr. Kaveri Subrahmanyam

Abstract

Athletes often underperform in high-pressure situations due to challenges in emotional regulation rather than deficits in physical skill. Mental toughness, broadly defined as the ability to maintain performance under stress, is a key determinant of athletic success but remains difficult to train using traditional methods. Virtual reality (VR) offers a controlled and immersive environment for simulating competitive pressure; however, its application for training mental toughness remains limited. The present study examined the effects of pressure-based VR training on psychological and physiological responses in collegiate baseball and softball athletes. Participants completed up to eight VR training sessions under either high-pressure or low-pressure conditions using sport-specific simulations. Mental toughness (MTQ-18) and state anxiety (STAI-State) were assessed at pre-training, post-training, and six-week follow-up. Physiological responses, including heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (RMSSD), were recorded during each session, alongside performance metrics derived from VR batting tasks. Descriptive results indicated greater physiological responses in the high-pressure condition compared to the low-pressure condition, characterized by higher heart rate and lower heart rate variability during the task. Across sessions, participants in the high-pressure condition demonstrated patterns consistent with improved physiological regulation. In contrast, self-reported mental toughness and state anxiety showed minimal differences across the training period. Performance metrics showed early improvements followed by stabilization, with greater variability in the high-pressure condition. These findings suggest that immersive VR environments can simulate performance-related stress, producing measurable physiological responses even in the absence of differences in self-report outcomes. VR-based training may therefore represent a promising tool for examining and supporting stress regulation in athletes.

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