Virtual Reality For Psychological And Neurocognitive Interventions

This exciting collection tours virtual reality in both its current therapeutic forms and its potential to transform a wide range of medical and mental health-related fields. Extensive findings track the contributions of VR devices, systems, and methods to accurate assessment, evidence-based and client-centered treatment methods, and—as described in a stimulating discussion of virtual patient technologies—innovative clinical training. Immersive digital technologies are shown enhancing opportunities for patients to react to situations, therapists to process patients’ physiological responses, and scientists to have greater control over test conditions and access to results. Expert coverage details leading-edge applications of VR across a broad spectrum of psychological and neurocognitive conditions, including: Treating anxiety disorders and PTSD. Treating developmental and learning disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Assessment of and rehabilitation from stroke and traumatic brain injuries. Assessment and treatment of substance abuse. Assessment of deviant sexual interests. Treating obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. Augmenting learning skills for blind persons. Readable and relevant, Virtual Reality for Psychological and Neurocognitive Interventions is an essential idea book for neuropsychologists, rehabilitation specialists (including physical, speech, vocational, and occupational therapists), and neurologists. Researchers across the behavioral and social sciences will find it a roadmap toward new and emerging areas of study.

In the computer sciences, virtual reality (VR) is usually described as a set of fancy technologies. However, in medicine and neuroscience, VR is instead defined as an advanced form of human–computer interface that allows the user to interact with and become present in a computer-generated environment. The sense of presence offered by VR makes it a powerful tool for personal change because it offers a world where the individual can stay and live a specific experience. For this reason, the use of VR in mental health shows promise: different types of research support its clinical efficacy for conditions including anxiety disorders, stress-related disorders, obesity and eating disorders, pain management, addiction, and schizophrenia. However, more research is needed to transform VR according to a clinical standard for mental health. This Special Issue aims to present the most recent advances in the mental health applications of VR, as well as their implications for future patient care.

Title Page -- Foreword -- Contributors -- Contents -- Part I. Virtual Reality for Health Care -- Virtual Reality for Health Care: a survey -- Human Factors Consideration in Clinical Applications of Virtual Reality -- Part II. Virtual Reality for Psychological Assessment and Rehabilitation -- Virtual Reality Therapy: An Effective Treatment for Psychological Disorders -- Virtual Reality as Assessment Tool in Psychology -- Virtual Reality for the Treatment of Autism -- Virtual Reality for the Palliative Care of Cancer -- Virtual Reality for the Treatment of Body Image Disturbances -- Development of a Virtual Sand Box: An Application of Virtual Environment for Psychological Treatment -- Part III. Virtual Reality for Neuro-Physiological Assessment and Rehabilitation -- Virtual Reality and Cognitive Assessment and Rehabilitation: The State of the Art -- Virtual Environments in Neuropsychological Assessment and Rehabilitation -- Virtual Environments for the Rehabilitation of Disorders of Attention and Movement -- Virtual Reality in the Assessment of Neuromotor Diseases: Measurement of Time Response in Real and Virtual Environments -- Virtual Reality Therapy of Multiple Sclerosis and Spinal Cord Injury: Design Considerations for a Haptic-Visual Interface -- Author Index

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Virtual Reality (VR) is a rapidly maturing technology that offers new and unique solutions to otherwise intractable problems in the study of cognition, behavior and neuroscience. VR removes many of the constraints imposed by laboratory paradigms, allowing us to track cognitive, behavioral and brain responses to naturalistic (or even impossible) situations without sacrificing experimental control. But VR is not a tool that can be swiftly and effortlessly integrated into existing research pipelines; currently, the benefits of VR are accompanied by a host of methodological challenges and important practical considerations. To help navigate this new methodology, this volume provides a balanced review of both the exciting new findings emerging from VR labs and the challenges and limitations that are part and parcel of VR research. This volume is an important first step toward establishing a standardised methodology for conducting research in VR. To this end, the volume provides a wealth of practical advice for researchers who are new to the technology. This volume is authored by an interdisciplinary team of VR researchers including computer scientists, engineers, psychologists and neuroscientists. It highlights current research in the field to demonstrate how VR advances our understanding of the mind, while also providing groundbreaking solutions in applied domains.

Medical and technological organizations have recently developed therapy and assistance solutions that venture beyond what is considered conventional for individuals with various mental health conditions and behavioral disorders such as autism, Down syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety disorders, phobias, and learning difficulties. Through the use of virtual and augmented reality, researchers are working to provide alternative therapy methods to treat these conditions, while studying the long-term effects the treatment has on patients. Virtual and Augmented Reality in Mental Health Treatment provides innovative insights into the use and durability of virtual reality as a treatment for various behavioral and emotional disorders and health problems. The content within this publication represents the work of e-learning, digital psychology, and quality of care. It is designed for psychologists, psychiatrists, professionals, medical staff, educators, and researchers, and covers topics centered on medical and therapeutic applications of artificial intelligence and simulated environment.