Author(s) :

Jasmine Naran.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

This literature review will explore the efficacy and use of virtual reality therapy (VRT), a new and upcoming form of therapy. This typically involves exposure therapy, though it may also be used for other programs useful to specific disorders. As it is a relatively new form of therapy, not much is currently known about the effectiveness of VRT. This paper reports some studies which have been done on the topic to understand the effectiveness of VRT. During the research process, most of the articles were found from Google Scholar using specific keywords such as “virtual reality therapy”, “phobias” or “exposure therapy”. We see that in many cases, VRT is as effective as cognitive-behavioral therapy, with a few exceptions. It is likely that VRT is actually more effective, though other factors in these studies may have contributed to skewed results, which brings the need for further studies to find better methods of experimentation. We start by summarizing evidence of the unique benefits of virtual reality therapy that are not afforded by more traditional approaches. We then summarize the emerging evidence of VRT efficacy for treatments and describe the circumstances in which it has been effective while also noting the need for further evidence to validate certain use cases. With an eye to the future, we also describe research examining VRT-associated changes in brain function and how this information can inform improvement of VRT while helping researchers and clinicians understand potential mechanisms of its efficacy. Finally, we provide an update on recent innovations in VRT. VRT holds great promise for the future, as it seems likely to be a competitor with other, traditional forms of therapy. Overall, this paper highlights both the limitations and the promise of existing research on VRT while also calling for further study in this timely and highly clinically-applicable area.