Virtual reality therapy helps some mental health conditions more than others
In short: A review of clinical psychology research traces how virtual reality therapy, first developed for phobias, has been extended to conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis, autism spectrum disorder, eating disorders, and substance use problems. The authors found the strongest evidence for anxiety disorders and PTSD, while research on generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder remains scarce.
The review also points to growing evidence that virtual cue exposure helps with addiction and eating disorders, and describes early but promising results for psychosis, autism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. As a review rather than a new trial, its conclusions rest on the strength of the studies it brings together, which varies widely across these different conditions.
Why it matters: Virtual reality therapy looks promising for several mental health conditions, but solid evidence so far is limited mostly to anxiety and PTSD.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Research: Emmelkamp and Meyerbroker (2021). Virtual Reality Therapy in Mental Health. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology.
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