The Design of Virtual Reality Applications for Psychological Interventions

Virtual Reality is an emerging technology with a variety of potential benefits in research, assessment and treatment. The ability to create and control the dynamic 3-dimensional environments within which behavioural responses can be measured and recorded, allows this technology to offer ways of psychological assessment that traditional methods may not be capable of providing. Although plenty of research has been carried out to explore the use of VR in psychology, little was done to further the understanding of the processes of VR design. Considering the potential possibilities of VR in the area of psychological treatments, it is necessary to investigate how VR applications can be designed to meet the needs of psychologists, researchers and end-users. To achieve this, the use of co-design approach is recommended. It is also important to provide stakeholders with the co-design pipeline and technical guidelines on how to create these applications.In the first stage of the research, a series of case studies for pain management and anxiety disorders were carried out to investigate the design opportunities and challenges in the development of mobile VR psychotherapy applications. This includes the description of the development and design process of VR applications, as well as the tools and techniques used for it. Specifically, a mobile VR application for pain management research, where I took part as a designer/developer, and another mobile VR application for anxiety disorders were developed. A study was conducted to examine the innovative use of mobile VR technology to deliver a form of cognitive bias training for anxiety disorder. Forty-two students high in trait anxiety completed one session of either virtual reality cognitive bias modification of interpretations training (VR-CBM-I) or standard CBM-I training for performance anxiety. Overall, the results showed that based on post-training,the VR-CMB-I training reduced perceived anxiety significantly more than the standard CBM-I training. Moreover, the increase in anxiety response in the VRCMB-I training condition after the stressor task was also significantly less when compared to the standard training. Thus, there was a significant increase in positive interpretations and a significant decrease in negative interpretations in both conditions after the training. The results from this stage allowed to identify some key co-design phases as well as techniques and components needed for a successful mobile VR application development. In the second stage of the research, the more advanced system was developed. The use of Multi-User Virtual Reality (MUVR) as a tool to offer effective intervention for representative users at high-risk of eating disorder (ED) was explored. Fourteen females deemed at high risk of ED completed one session of either MUVR intervention based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) or MUVR intervention based on Play Therapy (PT). The use of VR for remote psychotherapy was explored, and the impact of such intervention on both therapists and participants was observed. In addition, the design opportunities, pitfalls, and recommendations for future deployment in psychological interventions were presented. The findings from this thesis help extend the knowledge regarding the design, development and implementation of VR applications in psychotherapy. Contributions within the study can help psychologists, developers and researchers in identifying how these VR applications can be best designed and applied for psychological treatments. Additionally, these findings were formed into a set of3 guidelines to aid developers and psychologists in creating better VR applications to facilitate psychological interventions

Is Your Virtual Self as Sensational as Your Real? Virtual Reality: The Effect of Body Consciousness on the Experience of Exercise Sensations

Objectives: Past research has shown that Virtual Reality (VR) is an effective method for reducing the perception of pain and effort associated with exercise. As pain and effort are subjective feelings, they are influenced by a variety of psychological factors, including one’s awareness of internal body sensations, known as Private Body Consciousness (PBC). The goal of the present study was to investigate whether the effectiveness of VR in reducing the feeling of exercise pain and effort is moderated by PBC. Design and Methods: Eighty participants were recruited to this study and were randomly assigned to a VR or a non-VR control group. All participants were required to maintain a 20% 1RM isometric bicep curl, whilst reporting ratings of pain intensity and perception of effort. Participants in the VR group completed the isometric bicep curl task whilst wearing a VR device which simulated an exercising environment. Participants in the non-VR group completed a conventional isometric bicep curl exercise without VR. Participants’ heart rate was continuously monitored along with time to exhaustion. A questionnaire was used to assess PBC. Results: Participants in the VR group reported significantly lower pain and effort and exhibited longer time to exhaustion compared to the non-VR group. Notably, PBC had no effect on these measures and did not interact with the VR manipulation. Conclusions: Results verified that VR during exercise could reduce negative sensations associated with exercise regardless of the levels of PBC

Co-creating Meaningful Spaces: Stepping into Virtual Worlds Crafted by People Living with Dementia

This paper presents a unique artistic endeavour that aims to foster an understanding of the profound impact of space, place, and human connection through the lens of individuals living with dementia. Our work involved a five-week co-creation process, comprising twenty sessions, where forty-four participants collaborated with artists to craft four physical boxes representing "Meaningful Places." These boxes were then transformed into immersive Virtual Reality (VR) environments, inviting the participants to engage with their creations in an entirely new way. The art installation during the DIS 2023 Art exhibition features the VR experience alongside the physical boxes our workshop participants created. With this, we invite viewers to step into the worlds imagined and crafted by those living with dementia, but also explore them, in a celebration of the unique perspectives and experiences of those who made them

How Real is Unreal? Virtual Reality and the Impact of Visual Imagery on the Experience of Exercise-Induced Pain

As a consequence of prolonged muscle contraction, acute pain arises during exercise due to a build-up of noxious biochemicals in and around the muscle. Specific visual cues, e.g., the size of the object in weight lifting exercises, may reduce acute pain experienced during exercise. In this study, we examined how Virtual Reality (VR) can facilitate this “material-weight illusion”, influencing perception of task difficulty, which may reduce perceived pain. We found that when vision understated the real weight, the time to exhaustion was 2 minutes longer. Furthermore, participants’ heart rate was significantly lower by 5-7 bpm in the understated session. We concluded that visual-proprioceptive information modulated the individual’s willingness to continue to exercise for longer, primarily by reducing the intensity of negative perceptions of pain and effort associated with exercise. This result could inform the design of VR aimed at increasing the level of physical activity and thus a healthier lifestyle

“Now i can see me” designing a multi-user virtual reality remote psychotherapy for body weight and shape concerns

Recent years have seen a growing research interest towards designing computer-assisted health interventions aiming to improve mental health services. Digital technologies are becoming common methods for diagnosis, therapy, and training. With the advent of lower-cost VR head-mounted-displays (HMDs) and high internet data transfer capacity, there is a new opportunity for applying immersive VR tools to augment existing interventions. This study is among the first to explore the use of a Multi-User Virtual Reality (MUVR) system as a therapeutic medium for participants at high-risk for developing Eating Disorders. This paper demonstrates the positive effect of using MUVR remote psychotherapy to enhance traditional therapeutic practices. The study capitalises on the opportunities which are offered by a MUVR remote psychotherapeutic session to enhance the outcome of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Play Therapy and Exposure Therapy for sufferers with body shape and weight concerns. Moreover, the study presents the design opportunities and challenges of such technology, while strengths on the feasibility, and the positive user acceptability of introducing MUVR to facilitate remote psychotherapy. Finally, the appeal of using VR for remote psychotherapy and its observed positive impact on both therapists and participants is discussed

Wireless Soft Scalp Electronics and Virtual Reality System for Motor Imagery-based Brain-Machine Interfaces

Motor imagery offers an excellent opportunity as a stimulus-free paradigm for brain-machine interfaces. Conventional electroencephalography (EEG) for motor imagery requires a hair cap with multiple wired electrodes and messy gels, causing motion artifacts. Here, we introduce a wireless scalp electronic system with virtual reality for real-time, continuous classification of motor imagery brain signals. This low-profile, portable system integrates imperceptible microneedle electrodes and soft wireless circuits. Virtual reality addresses subject variance in detectable EEG response to motor imagery by providing clear, consistent visuals and instant biofeedback. The wearable soft system offers advantageous contact surface area and reduced electrode impedance density, resulting in significantly enhanced EEG signals and classification accuracy. The combination with convolutional neural network-machine learning provides a real-time, continuous motor imagery-based brain-machine interface. With four human subjects, the scalp electronic system offers a high classification accuracy (93.22±1.33% for four classes), allowing wireless, real-time control of a virtual reality game