A recent pilot study shows that Virtual Reality (VR) can help people with anhedonia experience positive affect. Anehodia describes a lessened ability to experience joy and those who suffer with it are at an increased risk of suicide. It is common across mental disorders including depression, social anxiety, schizophrenia, and substance abuse disorder. 

Due to factors such as fear of positive emotion, it has proven very difficult to treat, and most therapies have been largely ineffective because of their focus on negative affect. Even cognitive behavioral therapies that focus on positive reinforcement are hindered because anhedonia sufferers may lack the motivation to engage in rewarding activities.

Viewing positive imagery in VR has shown to increase positive affect in participants in pain management and anxiety studies. Because the immersive qualities of VR allow greater access to reward circuitry and require minimal effort to engage in positive activities, researchers of this pilot study hypothesized that virtual reality would help lessen anhedonia in depressed patients. 

Six participants with clinically significant depression experienced VR behavioral activation with imaginal recounting in 13 hour-long sessions over a period of seven weeks. After viewing positive scenes in VR, participants were instructed to choose one scene and write down the positive emotions and sensations they experienced while immersed in that scene. Then they were asked to recount a personal memory with similar positive emotions in order to transfer the VR experience to their own lives. 

Results showed a significant decrease in anhedonia. This is encouraging news for further study of a possible treatment to a disorder that lacks effective treatments. VR can help sufferers savor pleasurable moments and offers access to pleasurable activities with minimal access, thereby counteracting the lack of motivation to engage in activities.  

Words are powerful and the way we talk to ourselves can have profound effects on self-image, how we interact with others, and how we handle life’s stressors. And even if we understand the value of compassionate words, we may find it much easier to extend them to family, friends, and strangers than to ourselves. 

Our internal voice can be overly harsh and critical at times, but for those suffering from depression, that negative self-talk can lead to a debilitating cycle that is difficult to escape. A recent Science Focus article on VR’s impact on mental health highlights a recent study that seeks to dampen this voice. Professor John King and Dr Emma Jayne Kilford at University College London are creating a virtual reality intervention that supplements face-to-face therapy with the goal of strengthening one’s ability for self-compassion. 

The intervention consists of a virtual room that includes two avatars – a child and an adult. The avatars can be designed to look like the participant presently and as they looked in childhood. Before entering the virtual room the participant learns a “compassion script” that includes three strategies to improve the mood of someone in distress – validating experience, redirecting attention, and activating a positive memory. The participant then enters the room in the role of the adult with the task of speaking to the child until the child’s distress is lessened.

Next the participant enters the room as the child and watches the play-back of the avatar representing their adult self. As the child avatar, the participant is experiencing receiving compassionate words from his/her adult “self”. 

A larger trial is now taking place, based on initial results of a sample of very self-critical or depressed patients. The initial results are promising, showing a reduction in depression and self-criticism and improvement in self-compassion. 

Foretell Reality can not only create scenarios for practicing self-compassion but as a multi-user platform, we can create role-play scenarios with other participants to increase empathy, which is fundamental to implicit bias and other types of training or therapy exercises.  

Virtual Reality (VR) is often touted as an ‘empathy machine’ for its ability to change pre-conceptions by providing a convincing experience from someone else’s point of view. Whether to combat racism or bullying or increase medical school students empathy toward patients, VR is increasingly being used as a tool to challenge biases and encourage compassion and understanding.  

There are various ways to design VR experiences that facilitate this type of introspection including role play with avatars, narrative storytelling, simulations, and 360 video. A recent study focused on the latter approach to determine whether a 360 video in VR taken from the point of view of a woman would increase empathy in men about what it is like to face sexual harassment.

The study, titled ‘The impact of 360 video in VR on How Does It Feel to Be a Woman Victim of Sexual Harassment? The Effect of 360°-Video-Based Virtual Reality on Empathy and Related Variables,’ recruited 44 men in Mexico City and had them experience two different conditions. In one condition, participants watched the 360 video in VR to experience what it is like to be a female victim of sexual harassment (SH) from a first-person perspective. In the other,  the same story was presented in text format and the participants had to imagine the content of the story as if it were happening to them. 

Among the findings were:

“A tendency (marginally significant) to experience higher empathy after the 360° video than after the narrative. Furthermore, we found a carryover effect of the 360°-video condition. That is, empathy after the narrative was significantly higher when the 360° video was presented before the narrative task rather than after it.”

“Regarding the sense of oneness and perspective taking, [participants] were significantly higher after the 360° video than after the narrative task. A carryover effect on perspective taking was also found because scores in the narrative condition were higher when the 360° video was presented before the narrative task than when it was presented after it.”

In summary, the researchers concluded: 

“Despite its limitations, this study raises new possibilities in the prevention and treatment of SH toward women. Empathy, perspective taking, and sense of oneness could be target therapeutic components in interventions designed to decrease SH behaviors through a VR tool that is affordable for clinicians.”

Among other features, the Foretell Reality Virtual Reality (VR) platform provides the ability for one or more people to experience 360 video and then meet together as anonymous avatars to discuss the experience. We welcome partners interested in leveraging this and other tools to overcome biases and increase empathy. Click here for a demo or to contact us.

Binge eating disorder (BED) is characterized by episodes of eating large amounts of food while experiencing a loss of control. It is the most common eating disorder in the United States, and it can be life threatening if not addressed.

To treat the condition, cognitive behavioral therapy is often applied but, according to researcher Stephanie M. Mannasse, this type of treatment is largely ineffective at targeting the loss of control because it is difficult to transfer treatment gains to real-world eating behavior. 

To address this issue, Mannasse developed a proof-of-concept study and enrolled 14 adult subjects with a recent history of binge eating into a two-week Virtual Reality (VR) training program. The training followed a go/no-go paradigm.

“Throughout a series of trials, subjects were shown realistic 3D models of either a binge food item (e.g., pizza, fries), a fruit or a vegetable, or a neutral item (e.g., bowl, fork). The binge food items were paired with a “no go” cue, fruits and vegetables were paired with a “go” cue, and neutral items were paired with a “no go” cue half of the time and a “go” cue the other half of the time.” 

Clinical interviews were conducted before, during, and two weeks after the training program and the following results were noted:

• Subjects showed reduced binge eating behavior throughout the training.
• Bingeing episodes continued to drop during the two-week follow-up period.
• Subjects rated most aspects of the training favorably, with many indicating that it was easy to use.
• Participation was high, with subjects missing an average of only one training per week.

The power of VR to change behavior in this study can be further extended and enforced by bringing people together who are also fighting BED in safe, anonymous, moderated VR environments.

The Foretell Reality platform offers features, tools, and spaces for VR support groups, VR group therapy, and other social behavioral treatment approaches like role play and guided exposure therapy. To schedule a demo, click here.  

The recent pandemic has drastically changed nearly all aspects of our lives. Stay at home orders are causing people to feel confined and anxious and the closure of gyms, parks, and community centers have forced millions to suddenly adopt a sedentary lifestyle. The WHO recognizes the pandemic as posing a significant threat to global mental health, stating that quarantine and self-isolation can lead to negative feelings such as “stress, depression, irritability, insomnia, fear, confusion, frustration, and boredom”.

Many studies have shown the efficacy of Virtual Reality (VR) for helping people manage stress, anxieties, and depression. VR has also been shown to promote physical well-being. Physical movements exerted through virtual reality games like Beat Saber can greatly increase heart rate and burn hundreds of calories in a single session. 

Now a study conducted by Alessandro Siani and Sarah Anne Marley, two leading faculty members at the University of Portsmouth’s School of Biological Sciences, has aimed “to evaluate the effectiveness of VR as a physical and mental health aid for people observing social distancing due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Here are some highlights of the study which consisted of surveys submitted by 646 participants from around the world:

• Over 75% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that their use of VR increased during the pandemic.
• Over 60% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that VR was a good way to keep fit during lockdown
• Close to 80% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that VR has a positive impact on their mental health during lockdown

In conclusion, the researchers stated: “The majority of the population surveyed in this study, regardless of their gender and age, reported that their VR use has increased during the lockdown, and expressed overwhelmingly positive opinions on the usefulness of VR as a way to keep busy and improve their mental and physical wellbeing.” 

The Foretell Reality platform offers features and environments for support groups, 1:1 and group therapy, and guided stress and anxiety relief.  

With suicides in the military up more than 20% this year from 2019, the United States Department of Defense recently announced the use of a VR training program designed to help prevent suicide among Air Force veterans. The program features a 30-minute VR training scenario in which participants must convince an airman to seek mental health support during a period of emotional distress. 

Participants must ask the airman, who is powered by artificial intelligence (AI), a series of prewritten questions. Those who struggle to effectively ask these questions will receive assistance from a qualified mental health professional. The coaching is intended to help both veterans and their spouses better understand what questions to ask, how to properly respond, and why one should ask these questions.

“The unique part of this VR training is that it’s voice-activated, so you’re required to say things out loud that maybe you’ve never had to say before,” explained Master Sgt. Shawn Dougherty, a VR facilitator at Travis Air Force Base, which is one of the locations utilizing VR suicide prevention training. 

Virtual reality provides a unique opportunity for individuals to confront challenging interpersonal situations through realistic simulations. In the instance above, this is accomplished through the use of an AI ‘bot’ but the same types of simulations can also take place with other real people. 

Foretell Reality is a social Virtual Reality (VR) platform for support groups, group therapy, guided exposure therapy, and other therapeutic practices like role playing and mindfulness training.

Foretell Reality’s social capabilities can be particularly effective in addressing various behavioral health issues when combined with programs originally designed for single individuals. In the example above, veterans and their spouses could join support groups in VR after navigating the solo training in order to talk about their experiences. Further, the AI bot in the simulation could actually be replaced by another real person which could allow for more unscripted and exploratory treatment options. 

Interested in learning more about social VR for behavioral health? Schedule a demo.

Patient benefits of cognitive behavioral group therapy (CBGT) are well-supported and include group cohesiveness and interpersonal learning. And from a therapist perspective, the delivery of treatment to multiple patients at once is time-efficient.  CBGT is a particularly effective treatment for depression, but due to factors such as inaccessibility and social anxiety, a significant number of patients with depression drop out of therapy or do not attend at all. 

To reduce barriers to treatment for depressed patients, digitally-enabled formats are on the rise in healthcare. Virtual reality group therapy (VRGT) allows patients in any location to gather and interact in a computer-generated environment that feels real.  Two VR studies have shown a decrease in depression symptoms in widowers and patients with disabilities, but neither study used group therapy as the format, nor were the studies specifically developed for depressed patients.  For the first time, a recent qualitative study assessed the views of stakeholders (patients and therapists) on CBGT experienced in a virtual reality format.  

The study’s findings were generally positive and coalesce around several themes. Patients cited the ease of attending a session from home, which is particularly useful for those with physical disabilities and social anxiety. The use of an avatar was also generally regarded as positive, since depressed patients may not be motivated to tend to their personal appearance and appreciate the anonymity that the avatar provides. Avatar usage may increase engagement because “a patient talking about their problems cannot see whether other patients are judging them or look bored and disengaged.” Patients and therapists both cited the anonymity of avatar-based group therapy as minimizing patients’ social anxiety because it takes away the fear of being recognized. 

Foretell Reality has developed an avatar-based, multi-participant virtual reality platform specifically designed for group therapy. We work with our clients to customize the software to fit their needs. Click here to view a short video or here to schedule a live demo.