ABSTRACT
Throughout the past few decades, various studies have been conducted to validate the delivery and efficacy of virtual reality (VR) in the treatment of mental health disorders. The highly immersive world that VR can provide makes it a suitable addition to exposure therapy, one of the most popular therapy techniques, where the level of realism and interaction directly affect the quality of treatment. As VR gets more affordable and accessible, psychologists around the world have started experimenting more with the administration and effectiveness of the technology. This chapter discusses virtual reality–based exposure therapy (VRET) among other delivery mechanisms and explores various physical studies conducted for the same. VRET has been used to treat many mental health disorders ranging from anxiety to autism and research suggests that it delivers equivalent efficacy as compared to traditional exposure therapy methods. With such promising results, the authors also discuss the techniques being explored to reduce side effects like nausea and headaches. This chapter further discusses how VRET can be delivered in a clinical environment, involving selection of the mode of delivery, the specifications of the headset and simulation, duration of delivery and the level of gamification required. Before applying VR in therapeutic treatments, establishing good doctor–patient relationships and receiving relevant education is advised. As the applications of VRET grow, guidelines must be established to apply VR treatments to patients with psychological illnesses. Multiple studies have been explored that indicate how VR has the opportunity to develop into an alternative option for psychotherapists to use in supporting psychotherapeutic assessments and treatments in patients. This chapter concludes with a discussion of societal benefits and motivation for further research in the field.
