Can a virtual environment enhance understanding of hoarding deficits? A pilot investigation
This pilot study tested the utility of a virtual environment for assessing cognitive deficits characteristic of hoarding. A sample representing a broad spectrum of hoarding traits (N = 20) was assessed using self-report measures of information processing skills and emotional experience, and placed i...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844021020892 |
| _version_ | 1818998668341018624 |
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| author | Yasara Nayanthara Somaratne James Collett Alexander De Foe |
| author_facet | Yasara Nayanthara Somaratne James Collett Alexander De Foe |
| author_sort | Yasara Nayanthara Somaratne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This pilot study tested the utility of a virtual environment for assessing cognitive deficits characteristic of hoarding. A sample representing a broad spectrum of hoarding traits (N = 20) was assessed using self-report measures of information processing skills and emotional experience, and placed in a virtually simulated house that contained cluttered spaces and clean spaces. Information-processing significantly differed between high-hoarding and low-hoarding groups, with the high-hoarding group showing increased proneness to emotional attachment and information processing difficulties in the cluttered environment. The high-hoarding group also showed differences in behaviour and appraisal of the simulated environment. The findings suggested that virtual reality is accessible to participants and elicits real-time emotions and behavioural parameters which can assist our understanding of hoarding behaviour. Virtual reality may contribute to hoarding therapy in future, as it allows participants to visualise a different perspective of their condition and could contribute to their knowledge about the severity of their behaviour. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T22:05:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-529ae0717b8f4ccfae7e1a801c20c878 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T22:05:11Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-529ae0717b8f4ccfae7e1a801c20c8782022-12-21T19:25:17ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402021-11-01711e07986Can a virtual environment enhance understanding of hoarding deficits? A pilot investigationYasara Nayanthara Somaratne0James Collett1Alexander De Foe2School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, 124 LaTrobe Street, 3000, Melbourne, AustraliaCorresponding author.; School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, 124 LaTrobe Street, 3000, Melbourne, AustraliaSchool of Health and Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, 124 LaTrobe Street, 3000, Melbourne, AustraliaThis pilot study tested the utility of a virtual environment for assessing cognitive deficits characteristic of hoarding. A sample representing a broad spectrum of hoarding traits (N = 20) was assessed using self-report measures of information processing skills and emotional experience, and placed in a virtually simulated house that contained cluttered spaces and clean spaces. Information-processing significantly differed between high-hoarding and low-hoarding groups, with the high-hoarding group showing increased proneness to emotional attachment and information processing difficulties in the cluttered environment. The high-hoarding group also showed differences in behaviour and appraisal of the simulated environment. The findings suggested that virtual reality is accessible to participants and elicits real-time emotions and behavioural parameters which can assist our understanding of hoarding behaviour. Virtual reality may contribute to hoarding therapy in future, as it allows participants to visualise a different perspective of their condition and could contribute to their knowledge about the severity of their behaviour.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844021020892HoardingVirtual realityInformation processing difficultiesEmotional experience |
| spellingShingle | Yasara Nayanthara Somaratne James Collett Alexander De Foe Can a virtual environment enhance understanding of hoarding deficits? A pilot investigation Heliyon Hoarding Virtual reality Information processing difficulties Emotional experience |
| title | Can a virtual environment enhance understanding of hoarding deficits? A pilot investigation |
| title_full | Can a virtual environment enhance understanding of hoarding deficits? A pilot investigation |
| title_fullStr | Can a virtual environment enhance understanding of hoarding deficits? A pilot investigation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can a virtual environment enhance understanding of hoarding deficits? A pilot investigation |
| title_short | Can a virtual environment enhance understanding of hoarding deficits? A pilot investigation |
| title_sort | can a virtual environment enhance understanding of hoarding deficits a pilot investigation |
| topic | Hoarding Virtual reality Information processing difficulties Emotional experience |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844021020892 |
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