Year: 2019
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Background: For decades, researchers and therapists have attempted to utilize virtual reality (VR) \ntechnologies for therapeutic use, most notably for treatments regarding specific phobias and anxiety \ndisorders, but implementation of VR-based therapies was largely held back due to factors such as cost, \naccessibility, and technological limitations. Modern VR, however, appears to address many of the issues \nfrom older VR models, making the technological medium more affordable, accessible, and powerful than \nany previous VR iteration. While modern VR was largely designed for entertainment purposes, the \nfeatures inherent in modern VR systems, such as online storefronts, stereoscopic displays, and tracking \ncapabilities, may prove to be invaluable to advancing the implementation and delivery of VR-based \ntherapies. \nObjective: The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the influence of repeated VR exposure on both phobic \nand social behaviours to inform the development of a self-directed VR exposure therapy (VRET) procedure \nthat appropriates VR programs that were not specifically designed for therapeutic purposes, such as VR \ngames, for therapeutic purposes. \nMethodology: A systematic review and three experimental studies were conducted as part of the present \nthesis. The systematic review examined a total of 88 studies obtained through multiple databases, with \nfindings from the review serving to inform the efficacy of VRET, application of VR technology in \ntherapeutic and experimental settings, and the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing VR technologies. \nThe first experimental study (N = 3) was a case study that examined the effectiveness of a self-directed \nVRET in which patients were randomly assigned to either a Pure Self-Help (PSH), Guided Self-Help (GSH), \nor Waiting List group. Both PSH and GSH patients were allotted up to 12 1-hour treatment sessions, with \nthe only difference between the groups being the amount of interaction with the lead experimenter \nduring the treatment sessions. The second experimental study (N = 21) sought to examine the influence \nof repeated VR gaming on cyberaggression, with participants being randomly assigned to either a Violent, Non-Violent, or No Game group. Participants in the Violent and Non-Violent group played a selection of \nthree games related to their group category over the course of six weekly sessions, with measures for \naggression being conducted through questionnaires and a YouTube commenting task. Lastly, the third \nexperimental study (N = 20) was conducted to reinforce findings from the second study by evaluating \npotential changes in prosocial behaviours. Participants were randomly assigned to either a Violent \nCompetitive or Non-Violent Cooperative group, each playing a single game over the course of two weekly \nsessions, and prosocial behaviours were measured via a questionnaire. \nResults: Findings from the first experimental study showed promise towards the effectiveness of self \ndirected VRET, but with a few caveats. While both the PSH and GSH patients experienced improvements \nat the post-treatment phase, the PSH patient was still within the clinical average across each measure for \nacrophobia. Objective measures such as heart rate and self-report questionnaires did not appear to \nindicate significant improvement for the PSH patient, but the patient believed significant improvement \nhad been made during post-treatment and 6-month follow-up interviews. As for the experimental studies \nregarding VR gaming’s influence on aggression and prosocial behaviours, there were no significant \ndifferences in behaviours between each group. \nContribution to Knowledge: The present thesis has created a foundation to build a self-directed VRET \nprocedure by appropriating non-therapeutic VR applications for therapeutic use, while also \ndemonstrating that while repeated exposure to VR experiences can reduce acrophobia-related fear and \nanxiety, it cannot amplify or diminish the individual’s aggression and prosocial behaviours, respectively.
Author: Theodore Oing
Language: English
Subfield: Human-Computer Interaction
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3024327169