Virtual reality as assessment tool in psychology

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Virtual Reality

Background:

• Virtual environments (VEs) are increasingly explored in clinical psychology, particularly for phobia treatment.
• VEs present a novel paradigm for human-computer interaction with potential applications beyond therapy.
• Current psychological assessment methods can be enhanced by sophisticated adaptive testing approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential of virtual environments (VEs) as a sophisticated adaptive testing tool in psychological assessment.
• To introduce the Body Image Virtual Reality Scale (BIVRS) as a novel assessment instrument.
• To detail the design and architecture of the BIVRS system.

Main Methods:

• Description of the current landscape of psychological assessment.
• Development of the Body Image Virtual Reality Scale (BIVRS) using a non-immersive 3D graphical interface.
• Implementation of BIVRS in two architectures: a single-user desktop application (A) and a client-server model with internet accessibility (B).

Main Results:

• The BIVRS allows patients to interact with 9 figures varying in size from underweight to overweight.
• The system was developed in two distinct architectures to cater to different accessibility needs.
• Architecture B provides internet-based access to the virtual reality environment.

Conclusions:

• Virtual environments offer a promising avenue for developing advanced adaptive testing tools in psychology.
• The BIVRS is a functional assessment tool designed to evaluate cognitive and affective aspects of body image.
• The dual-architecture design of BIVRS enhances its accessibility and potential for widespread use in psychological assessment.