Therapists are Makers: Virtual Reality and Virtual Environments Creation Capability for the Treatment of Rare Cases of Phobia and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
Résumé
Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) a form of exposure treatment
that leverages the technology and immersive properties of virtual reality has been
used in mental health for several decades with clinical efficacy. Nowadays, several
companies propose ready to use virtual environments (VE) for clinicians. However,
in practice, therapists or researchers may face rare demands such as patients
exhibiting unusual phobias or OCD that require specific therapeutic VEs not
available on the market. Therefore, empowering therapist with the tools of a “maker”
to create therapeutic VEs themselves for rare cases may be a potential solution.
Consequently, this trial involving 8 rare single cases was designed to test this
assumption and has three objectives: to assess if a therapist with no coding skills can
construct multiple specific therapeutic VEs with a free game engine, to measure the
potential therapeutic efficacy of VRET and the VEs for rare cases of phobias and
OCD, and to ensure these VEs yielded presence. Psychometric scales were used to
assess the effects of the treatment. There was a discernible reduction of the distinct
phobia and OCD for each case and a statistically significant improvement on anxiety,
mood and mental quality of life scores. The presence level was satisfactory. Despite
these promising results, these were single cases and further research on the game
engine accessibility for clinicians and trials with a large sample of rare phobias or
OCD are encouraged.
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