Considerations and practical protocols for using virtual reality in psychological research and practice, as evidenced...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Clinical research struggles to replicate real-world stressors, impacting outcome reliability.
• Virtual reality (VR) offers immersive, controlled environments for therapeutic interventions.
• Limited practical and methodological publications hinder VR adoption in clinical psychology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the gap in practical VR implementation for clinical research.
• To provide a decision-making framework for developing VR systems.
• To demonstrate the application of the framework with a case study for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Main Methods:

• Development of a four-step process for VR system design and implementation.
• Inclusion of practical recommendations for clinician-researchers.
• Application of the framework through a case study focused on exposure therapy for OCD.

Main Results:

• A structured framework to guide the creation of VR-based clinical tools.
• Practical insights for overcoming challenges in VR development and deployment.
• A successful case study illustrating the framework's utility for OCD treatment.

Conclusions:

• The proposed framework facilitates the accessible development of VR systems in clinical research.
• VR holds significant promise for enhancing therapeutic interventions and scientific rigor.
• Further research and practical application are encouraged to realize VR's full potential in psychology.