Psychology students are using VR to explore how psychological research can inform realworld responses to youth gang involvement and child criminal exploitation
Undergraduate psychology students at the University of Birmingham are using immersive virtual reality (VR) to explore how psychological research can inform real-world responses to youth gang involvement and child criminal exploitation.
The teaching initiative, delivered by doctoral researcher Daisy Askew from the School of Psychology, brings together academic research, safeguarding practice and immersive technology to help students understand how psychological evidence can be applied beyond the classroom.
The sessions form part of finalyear BSc Psychology teaching and focus on one of the most complex safeguarding challenges facing young people in the UK: youth gang involvement and child criminal exploitation (CCE). Students are encouraged to critically examine adolescent development through academic literature and then apply these insights to realworld preventative interventions.
The seminars were developed in collaboration with Birmingham-based CreaTech company Virtual Decisions, which specialises in immersive VR experiences designed to support young people’s decision-making around sensitive issues such as gangs, knives and peer influence.
Using live-action VR scenarios, students experienced first-hand how immersive technology can be used to present realistic situations in which young people are asked to make decisions and explore potential consequences in a safe, controlled environment. Following the VR experience, students took part in facilitated, trauma-informed discussions to reflect on the issues raised.
The teaching sessions were supported by Dr Stephanie Burnett Heyes, Associate Professor in Psychology, and drew directly on current research into adolescent risk-taking, decision-making and learning through immersive environments.
A key aim of these sessions was to help students see how psychological research can move beyond theory and be applied to realworld safeguarding challenges. Using virtual reality allowed students to engage with a complex issue like youth gang involvement in a way that felt realistic, reflective and grounded in evidence, while also encouraging them to think critically about how interventions are designed and evaluated
Child criminal exploitation is an increasing safeguarding concern in the UK, often associated with – but not limited to – county lines activity. Young people may be groomed into criminal activity such as drug cultivation, carrying weapons or robbery, and may not recognise themselves as victims due to the manipulative tactics used by perpetrators.
Despite the growing number of organisations working to address CCE, evidence around the effectiveness and implementation of preventative interventions remains limited. The seminars therefore also introduced students to the challenges of designing, evaluating and delivering interventions that are both evidence-based and appropriate for diverse audiences.
As part of the session, students explored how academic research, professional expertise and lived experience can be brought together to design interventions. Examples included Virtual Decisions’ VR programmes GANGS, KNIVES and INFLUENCE, each of which targets youth vulnerability and exploitation in different ways.
Students discussed how interventions can be adapted for universal audiences, such as whole school year groups, or tailored to specific communities. They also considered the ethical and practical challenges involved in designing scenarios that allow agency and choice while still reflecting realistic constraints.
Student feedback highlighted high levels of engagement with the VR format. Many described the scenarios as realistic and relatable, and reflected that encountering similar interventions earlier in adolescence could have been valuable. Others compared the experience favourably with more traditional Theatre in Education approaches, noting the novelty and immersive nature of VR.
The sessions also prompted critical discussion around the limitations of VR-based interventions. Some students felt that the choices available in the scenarios did not fully reflect how they might personally respond, leading to wider debate about intervention design, individual differences and the balance between realism and inclusivity.
These reflections aligned closely with current research on immersive virtual reality, which suggests that interactive experiences can increase motivation to engage with challenging topics and support deeper, more reflective learning.
The initiative demonstrates how research-led teaching can help students connect psychological theory with real-world challenges, while also exposing them to emerging methods used in public engagement and safeguarding practice.
By integrating immersive technology into undergraduate teaching, the sessions highlight the University’s commitment to innovative education, impactful research and addressing complex societal challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration.
The work forms part of a wider research programme funded by the Centre for National Training and Research Excellence in Understanding Behaviour (Centre-UB), an ESRC-funded Centre for Doctoral Training Plus based at the University of Birmingham. The Centre aims to strengthen national capability in behavioural research and its application to pressing social issues.
Assistant Professor
Dr Stephanie Burnett Heyes is a developmental psychologist with expertise in adolescent and young adult social cognition, emotion, decision-making and mental health/wellbeing.
