Developing a Virtual Reality Application for Social and Emotional Wellbeing and Cultural Determinants of Health Support With an Aboriginal Community of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: Protocol for an Acceptability and Feasibility Study.

Background: As the first peoples of Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have continuing cultures that are essential to wellbeing. Complex sociocultural, health, and wellbeing inequities stemming from colonization, settler-colonialism, and mental health system challenges have led to high rates of negative mental health and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing outcomes is a national public health priority. Social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) and the cultural determinants of health (CDH) provide evidence-based approaches for providing culturally centered wellbeing support. There is a need to increase the availability, accessibility, and effectiveness of culturally relevant, holistic, and strengths-based wellbeing supports. It is essential that Aboriginal communities have self-determined opportunities to develop and implement culturally centered wellbeing supports informed by SEWB and the CDH. Aboriginal digital health and wellbeing support research is an emerging field offering potential to help improve wellbeing outcomes. This study aims to explore how virtual reality (VR) could be used to provide SEWB and CDH support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Objective: This study protocol outlines a 3-phase mixed-methods approach that will inform the co-design and codevelopment of a VR application that aims to provide SEWB and CDH support. In partnership with Tribal Warrior, an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organization, Studio Gilay, an Aboriginal-led animation and storytelling studio, and Phoria, an Australian immersive storytelling technology company, this study will assess cultural relevance, acceptability, and feasibility of the VR application. Methods: Using Indigenist and Participatory Action Research methodologies, purposive sampling will be used to recruit 35 Tribal Warrior staff and Aboriginal community members to participate in each phase of research. Qualitative data collection will occur in each phase through yarning circles. Reflexive thematic analysis will guide qualitative analysis. Phase 3 will involve a quantitative survey, generating cultural relevance, acceptability, and feasibility evidence. Descriptive statistics analysis will be used to report results. Results: As of April 2026, data collection and analysis for phases 1 and 2 are complete. This study will culminate in the development and assessment of a co-designed and codeveloped VR application that aims to provide SEWB and CDH support for Aboriginal peoples. Findings from each phase will be published in academic papers and nonacademic outputs. The VR application will be implemented by Tribal Warrior into existing community programs and supports. Conclusions: Findings from this study have potential implications for improving availability and accessibility to culturally centered wellbeing supports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Assessing the cultural relevance, acceptability, and feasibility of using VR technology to provide culturally centered wellbeing support will contribute novel evidence to the fields of public health, digital health, and design-based research.