Characteristics of successful technological interventions in mental resilience training

In the last two decades, several effective virtual reality-based interventions for anxiety disorders have been developed. Virtual reality interventions can also be used to build resilience to psychopathology for populations at risk of exposure to traumatic experiences and developing mental disorders as a result, such as for people working in vulnerable professions. Despite the interest among mental health professionals and researchers in applying new technology-supported interventions for pre-trauma mental resilience training, there is a lack of recommendations about what constitutes potentially effective technology-supported resilience training. This article analyses the role of technology in the field of stress-resilience training. It presents lessons learned from technology developers currently working in the area, and it identifies some key clinical requirements for the supported resilience interventions. Two processes made up this research: 1) developers of technology-assisted resilience programs were interviewed regarding human-computer interaction and system development; 2) discussions with clinicians were prompted using technology-centered concept storyboards to elicit feedback, and to refine, validate and extend the initial concepts. A qualitative analysis of the interviews produced a set of development guidelines that engineers should follow and a list of intervention requirements that the technology should fulfill. These recommendations can help bridge the gap between engineers and clinicians when generating novel resilience interventions for people in vulnerable professions.