The Next Generation of Virtual Reality Interventions for Mental Health

• Decades of research have shown that Virtual Reality (VR) technology can be used efficaciously to treat anxiety disorders, and for pain management, stress reduction, and other mental health purposes. Yet it is only with the recently advent of consumer VR platforms that widespread clinical implementation and scalable dissemination of self-help application have become possible. The time is thus ripe to move VR interventions out from university labs and into clinics and the hands of regular patients. This talk will present recent research on the efficacy, effectiveness and real-world usage of automated, gamified VR self-help applications, as well as three on-going effectiveness studies in regular healthcare: VR pain-distraction at a post-operative ward, VR relaxation at a psychiatric inpatient clinic, and VR exposure therapy for public speaking anxiety at a general mental health clinic. The unique and inherent clinical capabilities of VR technology will be discussed, as will lessons learned from implementation and dissemination efforts.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

virtual reality

VR

pain-distraction

relaxation

exposure therapy

speaking anxiety

self-help application

efficacy

Psychology

psykologi

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)