A Decade in Review: A Systematic Review of Virtual Reality Interventions for Emotional Disorders
Research is increasingly demonstrating the therapeutic benefits of virtual reality interventions for various mental health conditions, though these rarely translate from research to application in clinical settings. This systematic review aims to examine the efficacy of current virtual reality inter...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Psychosocial Intervention |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: |
https://journals.copmadrid.org/pi/art/pi2021a8
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| _version_ | 1798031832223055872 |
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| author | Dale P. Rowland Leanne M. Casey Aarthi Ganapathy Mandy Cassimatis Bonnie A. Clough |
| author_facet | Dale P. Rowland Leanne M. Casey Aarthi Ganapathy Mandy Cassimatis Bonnie A. Clough |
| author_sort | Dale P. Rowland |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Research is increasingly demonstrating the therapeutic benefits of virtual reality interventions for various mental health conditions, though these rarely translate from research to application in clinical settings. This systematic review aims to examine the efficacy of current virtual reality interventions for emotional disorders, with a focus on clinical and technological features that influence translation of treatments from research to clinical practice. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, for studies including the application of a virtual reality intervention to a clinical population of adults with an emotional disorder. Thirty-seven eligible studies were identified, appraised, and assessed for bias. Treatment effects were typically large across studies, with virtual reality being considered an efficacious treatment modality for various anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. Virtual reality interventions were typically used for delivering exposure in cognitive behavioural therapy approaches. Considerable variability was seen in cost, technological specifications, degree of therapist involvement, delivery format, dosage, duration, and frequency of treatment. Suboptimal methodological rigour was identified in some studies. Remote use of virtual reality was rare, despite increasing options for in home use. Virtual reality interventions have the potential to overcome barriers to care and better meet the needs of consumers. Future research should examine the efficacy of virtual reality for treatment of depressive disorders and obsesive compulsive disorder. Improved methodological reporting and development of transdiagnostic and remotely delivered virtual reality interventions, will likely increase the translation of this treatment modality. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:04:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c0ba0ecb050048929cd6d3d0e26abd7f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1132-0559 2173-4712 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:04:00Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psychosocial Intervention |
| spelling | doaj.art-c0ba0ecb050048929cd6d3d0e26abd7f2022-12-22T04:05:27ZengColegio Oficial de Psicólogos de MadridPsychosocial Intervention1132-05592173-47122021-12-0131112010.5093/pi2021a811320559A Decade in Review: A Systematic Review of Virtual Reality Interventions for Emotional DisordersDale P. Rowland0Leanne M. Casey1Aarthi Ganapathy2Mandy Cassimatis3Bonnie A. Clough4Griffith University, Queensland , Australia, Griffith University, Queensland, AustraliaGriffith University, Queensland , Australia, Griffith University, Queensland, AustraliaGriffith University, Queensland , Australia, Griffith University, Queensland, AustraliaGriffith University, Queensland , Australia, Griffith University, Queensland, AustraliaGriffith University, Queensland , Australia, Griffith University, Queensland, AustraliaResearch is increasingly demonstrating the therapeutic benefits of virtual reality interventions for various mental health conditions, though these rarely translate from research to application in clinical settings. This systematic review aims to examine the efficacy of current virtual reality interventions for emotional disorders, with a focus on clinical and technological features that influence translation of treatments from research to clinical practice. A comprehensive systematic literature search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, for studies including the application of a virtual reality intervention to a clinical population of adults with an emotional disorder. Thirty-seven eligible studies were identified, appraised, and assessed for bias. Treatment effects were typically large across studies, with virtual reality being considered an efficacious treatment modality for various anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder. Virtual reality interventions were typically used for delivering exposure in cognitive behavioural therapy approaches. Considerable variability was seen in cost, technological specifications, degree of therapist involvement, delivery format, dosage, duration, and frequency of treatment. Suboptimal methodological rigour was identified in some studies. Remote use of virtual reality was rare, despite increasing options for in home use. Virtual reality interventions have the potential to overcome barriers to care and better meet the needs of consumers. Future research should examine the efficacy of virtual reality for treatment of depressive disorders and obsesive compulsive disorder. Improved methodological reporting and development of transdiagnostic and remotely delivered virtual reality interventions, will likely increase the translation of this treatment modality. https://journals.copmadrid.org/pi/art/pi2021a8 digital mental healthemotional disordersvirtual realitytransdiagnostic treatmentremote interventions |
| spellingShingle | Dale P. Rowland Leanne M. Casey Aarthi Ganapathy Mandy Cassimatis Bonnie A. Clough A Decade in Review: A Systematic Review of Virtual Reality Interventions for Emotional Disorders Psychosocial Intervention digital mental health emotional disorders virtual reality transdiagnostic treatment remote interventions |
| title | A Decade in Review: A Systematic Review of Virtual Reality Interventions for Emotional Disorders |
| title_full | A Decade in Review: A Systematic Review of Virtual Reality Interventions for Emotional Disorders |
| title_fullStr | A Decade in Review: A Systematic Review of Virtual Reality Interventions for Emotional Disorders |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Decade in Review: A Systematic Review of Virtual Reality Interventions for Emotional Disorders |
| title_short | A Decade in Review: A Systematic Review of Virtual Reality Interventions for Emotional Disorders |
| title_sort | decade in review a systematic review of virtual reality interventions for emotional disorders |
| topic | digital mental health emotional disorders virtual reality transdiagnostic treatment remote interventions |
| url |
https://journals.copmadrid.org/pi/art/pi2021a8
|
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