Exploring the Potential for Use of Virtual Reality Technology in the Treatment of Severe Mental Illness Among Adults in Mid-Norway: Collaborative Research Between Clinicians and Researchers.

Solveig Osborg Ose,Jannike Kaasbøll,Martin Lindgren,Kristin Thaulow,Stig Antonsen,Olav Burkeland,Hilde Færevik

doi:10.2196/13633

Abstract

BackgroundVirtual reality (VR) technology is not currently used in the treatment of severe mental health illness in Norway.ObjectiveWe aimed to explore the potential of VR as a treatment for severe mental health illness in Norway, through collaborative research between clinicians and researchers.MethodsA collaborative research team was established, comprising researchers, the manager at a district psychiatric center, and the manager of the local municipal mental health service. An all-day workshop with eight clinicians—four from specialist mental health services and four from municipal mental health services—was conducted. The clinicians watched three different VR movies and after each one, they answered predefined questions designed to reflect their immediate thoughts about VR’s potential use in clinical practice. At the end of the workshop, two focus group interviews, each with four clinicians from each service level, were conducted.ResultsVR technology in specialist services might be a new tool for the treatment of severe mental health illness. In municipal mental health services, VR might particularly be useful in systematic social training that would otherwise take a very long time to complete.ConclusionsWe found substantial potential for the use of VR in the treatment of severe mental health illness in specialist and municipal mental health services. One of the uses of VR technology with the greatest potential was helping individuals who had isolated themselves and needed training in social skills and everyday activity to enable them to have more active social lives. VR could also be used to simulate severe mental illness to provide a better understanding of how the person with severe mental illness experiences their situation.

Highlights

A current challenge in the development of technology for mental health is that it is largely market-driven
Others thought that Virtual reality (VR) had potential in many different settings, including social training or learning to understand emotional expressions among persons with severe mental illness
Another participant made the point that it would be easier to get training started in VR because exposure to the real word is very hard for many of those with severe mental illness

Summary

Introduction

A current challenge in the development of technology for mental health is that it is largely market-driven This means that large target groups, such as people with less severe anxiety and depression disorders who are willing and able to pay, receive ready access to new supporting technology. Virtual reality (VR) technology is not currently used in the treatment of severe mental health illness in Norway. Objective: We aimed to explore the potential of VR as a treatment for severe mental health illness in Norway, through collaborative research between clinicians and researchers. Results: VR technology in specialist services might be a new tool for the treatment of severe mental health illness. Conclusions: We found substantial potential for the use of VR in the treatment of severe mental health illness in specialist and municipal mental health services. VR could be used to simulate severe mental illness to provide a better understanding of how the person with severe mental illness experiences their situation

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