Virtual Reality (VR) and Psychotherapy: Opportunities and Challenges

1997 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalman Glantz ◽  
Nathaniel I. Durlach ◽  
Rosalind C. Barnett ◽  
Walter A. Aviles
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Virtual Reality Technology ◽  
Technological Developments

Virtual reality technology is now being used to provide exposure and desensitization for a number of phobic conditions. In this paper, we first review these current applications and discuss the work needed to refine and expand these applications to phobias. We then comment briefly on some preliminary applications of VR technology to mental-health problems outside the domain of phobias. Finally, we consider ways in which VR might be used to further enhance psychotherapy and assist in the treatment of a wide variety of disorders. Various possible interventions are discussed, along with the technological developments needed to make them possible.

Psychotherapeutic components of commercially available virtual reality games (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Almira Osmanovic Thunström ◽  
Iris Sarajlic Vuković ◽  
Lilas Ali ◽  
Tomas Larson ◽  
Steinn Steingrimsson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Treatment Method ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Unique Games

BACKGROUND Immersive virtual reality (VR) games are increasingly becoming part of everyday life. Several studies support immersive VR technology as a treatment method for mental health problems. There is however minimal research into the feasibility, prevalence, and quality of commercially available VR games on commercial platforms as tools for treatment or add on to treatment of mental health problems. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence, feasibility and quality of commercially available games related to psychotherapy on a commercially available platform. METHODS We performed a search for keywords related to diagnosis and treatment strategies of mental health problems. The search was performed during March 27th on STEAM (VR content and gaming platform). A usability scale was used as a tool to look at the interaction and usability of the games, the VR-UI-UX-8. The tool contains 8 statements about usability scored 0-10, 0 indicating “Not at all” and 10 indicating “very much so”. The score ranges from 0-80 with a higher score indicating worse usability. RESULTS In total, 516 hits were found, 371 unique games. After the games were reviewed, 83 games passed the inclusion criteria, were purchased and played. Majority of the games which were excluded were either not connected to mental health, contained violence, adult content or were in other ways irrelevant or inappropriate. The mean score for the games on the VR-UI-UX-8 was 16.5 (standard deviation 15.8) with a range from 0-68. Most relevant and feasible games were found in the search words meditation, mindfulness, and LSD. CONCLUSIONS Commercial platforms hold great potential for VR games with psychotherapeutic components. The platforms are only at the beginning of the development towards serious games, e-learning and psychotherapeutic treatments. Currently the quality and usability for clinical and at home applicability are scarce, but hold great potential.

scholarly journals Virtual reality in the assessment, understanding, and treatment of mental health disorders

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (14) ◽  
pp. 2393-2400 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Freeman ◽  
S. Reeve ◽  
A. Robinson ◽  
A. Ehlers ◽  
D. Clark ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Psychological Therapies ◽  
Substance Related Disorders ◽  
Problematic Situations

Mental health problems are inseparable from the environment. With virtual reality (VR), computer-generated interactive environments, individuals can repeatedly experience their problematic situations and be taught, via evidence-based psychological treatments, how to overcome difficulties. VR is moving out of specialist laboratories. Our central aim was to describe the potential of VR in mental health, including a consideration of the first 20 years of applications. A systematic review of empirical studies was conducted. In all, 285 studies were identified, with 86 concerning assessment, 45 theory development, and 154 treatment. The main disorders researched were anxiety (n = 192), schizophrenia (n = 44), substance-related disorders (n = 22) and eating disorders (n = 18). There are pioneering early studies, but the methodological quality of studies was generally low. The gaps in meaningful applications to mental health are extensive. The most established finding is that VR exposure-based treatments can reduce anxiety disorders, but there are numerous research and treatment avenues of promise. VR was found to be a much-misused term, often applied to non-interactive and non-immersive technologies. We conclude that VR has the potential to transform the assessment, understanding and treatment of mental health problems. The treatment possibilities will only be realized if – with the user experience at the heart of design – the best immersive VR technology is combined with targeted translational interventions. The capability of VR to simulate reality could greatly increase access to psychological therapies, while treatment outcomes could be enhanced by the technology's ability to create new realities. VR may merit the level of attention given to neuroimaging.

Fetal growth and subsequent mental health problems in children aged 4 to 13 years

2000 ◽  
Vol 42 (01) ◽  
pp. 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen R Zubrick ◽  
Jennifer J Kurinczuk ◽  
Brett M C McDermott ◽  
Robert S McKelvey ◽  
Sven R Silburn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Fetal Growth ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems

Mental Health Among Adolescents from Returned Portuguese Immigrant Families

2010 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 131-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Félix Neto
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Immigrant Families ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Older Adolescents ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Portuguese Adolescents

This study investigated mental health problems and their predictors among adolescents from returned immigrant families. The sample consisted of 360 returned adolescents (mean age = 16.8 years; SD = 1.9). The mean duration of a sojourn in Portugal for the sample was 8.2 years (SD = 4.5). A control group of 217 Portuguese youths were also included in the study. Adolescents from immigrant families reported mental health levels similar to those of Portuguese adolescents who have never migrated. Girls showed more mental health problems than boys. Younger adolescents showed fewer mental health problems than older adolescents. Adaptation variables contributed to mental health outcomes even after acculturation variables were accounted for. Implications of the study for counselors are discussed.

Physical and Psychological Benefits of Written Emotional Expression

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 242-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Éva Kállay
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychological Benefits ◽  
Cost Effective Treatment ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract. The last several decades have witnessed a substantial increase in the number of individuals suffering from both diagnosable and subsyndromal mental health problems. Consequently, the development of cost-effective treatment methods, accessible to large populations suffering from different forms of mental health problems, became imperative. A very promising intervention is the method of expressive writing (EW), which may be used in both clinically diagnosable cases and subthreshold symptomatology. This method, in which people express their feelings and thoughts related to stressful situations in writing, has been found to improve participants’ long-term psychological, physiological, behavioral, and social functioning. Based on a thorough analysis and synthesis of the published literature (also including most recent meta-analyses), the present paper presents the expressive writing method, its short- and long-term, intra-and interpersonal effects, different situations and conditions in which it has been proven to be effective, the most important mechanisms implied in the process of recovery, advantages, disadvantages, and possible pitfalls of the method, as well as variants of the original technique and future research directions.

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