No motion sickness: Kids handle VR better than adults, new study finds
Research from Leiden University reveals the surprising resilience of young people to virtual reality side effects.
A new study by Nina Krupljanin and her team at Leiden University has found that children and teenagers barely experience the motion sickness that often plagues adults in virtual reality. Their research, which included 85 participants between ages 8 and 17, showed minimal reports of common VR side effects like dizziness and headaches.
This is particularly noteworthy because adults frequently suffer from these symptoms, especially during VR experiences involving artificial movement — when what their eyes see doesn't match what their inner ear's balance system is telling them.
The study found that young participants were completely comfortable with the VR headsets and grasped the tasks without difficulty. Though the specific devices weren't disclosed, the researchers noted that participants became deeply immersed in the cartoon-style virtual environments, naturally responding to directional audio cues and other stimuli.
Krupljanin suggests this might be due to children's higher digital literacy. "They tend to ask fewer questions and are more willing to explore through trial and error," she explains. "Growing up with digital media seems to foster curiosity and reduce fear of making mistakes."
Perhaps most significantly, every child showed high motivation to participate — a crucial factor when considering therapeutic applications.
Using VR to fight trauma-related shame
While VR therapy research for adults continues to expand, our understanding of its effects on children remains limited. "Before developing a VR intervention for younger users, we first wanted to understand how they respond to the technology," Krupljanin says.
Her current project, called SHINE-VR (Shame Intervention Virtual Reality), aims to help young people deal with trauma-related shame through self-compassion training. The program offers brief, but powerful experiences designed to build self-compassion skills.
"In SHINE-VR, participants enter a virtual world where they learn about shame and how to apply self-compassion," Krupljanin explains. "They interact with virtual peers who have also experienced interpersonal trauma, discussing shared themes and difficult emotions. This helps them feel understood and less alone."
The research highlights VR's therapeutic potential: users can safely practice challenging real-world scenarios while wearing a headset. "We’re finding that these environments can evoke real emotional responses – including an increased heart rate – even when users rationally know they’re not in any real danger," notes Krupljanin."This gives people the chance to gradually confront difficult emotions, helping to ease them into facing such challenges in real life."
The age question: When should kids start using VR?
The appropriate age for children to begin using VR remains controversial, with no definitive long-term research to guide us. Manufacturer guidelines vary widely — Meta recently lowered its Quest minimum age from 13 to 10, while other companies maintain higher age restrictions. The Facebook company also offers specialized accounts for teens (13-17) and "preteens" (10-12) with parental controls.
However, we suggest parents should focus more on their child's individual physical and mental maturity rather than manufacturer guidelines. These age recommendations may be influenced by companies' desire to expand their user base rather than solid research on safety and development.
What age do you think is right to start using VR? Join the conversation on Facebook, Bluesky or X or share your opinion in the comments below.
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