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Avatar Customization and Embodiment in Virtual Reality Self-Compassion Therapy for Depressive Symptoms: Three-Part

Thomas C Elliott1, Yanzhuo Yang1, Jarrod Knibbe1

  • 1School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, The University of Queensland, General Purpose South (78), St Lucia QLD 4067 Level 4, Brisbane, 4067, Australia, 61 0733652097.

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Stylized avatars in virtual reality (VR) therapy enhance user experience and self-compassion when customizable and mirrored. This approach offers a user-aligned strategy for therapeutic VR applications, challenging the need for hyperrealistic designs.

Keywords:
avatar designdepressionmental healthself-compassionuncanny valleyuser experiencevirtual reality

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Area of Science:

  • Virtual Reality (VR) and Human-Computer Interaction
  • Psychological Interventions and Digital Therapeutics
  • User Experience (UX) Design in Immersive Environments

Background:

  • Increasing accessibility of virtual reality (VR) necessitates understanding design impacts on user experience (UX) and psychological benefits, especially in sensitive interventions.
  • Prior research supports VR for self-compassion, but the influence of avatar stylization, customization, and self-representation on therapeutic outcomes remains unclear.
  • The assumption that realistic avatars are superior to stylized ones in VR therapy is largely untested.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate how avatar appearance, customization, and virtual mirrors impact UX and therapeutic outcomes in VR self-compassion therapy.
  • To determine if stylized avatars, customization options, and virtual mirror feedback influence self-compassion and depression symptoms.

Main Methods:

  • Three between-subjects studies (N=107 neurotypical adults) utilized an immersive VR self-compassion protocol.
  • Conditions included stylized avatars, customizable stylized avatars, and customizable stylized avatars with a virtual mirror.
  • Standardized questionnaires assessed UX, self-compassion, depression symptoms (PHQ-8), and presence; qualitative feedback was thematically analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Avatar customization significantly increased self-compassion scores (p=.03).
  • The virtual mirror condition improved depression scores (p=.01) and UX across multiple categories, including attractiveness and dependability.
  • Qualitative feedback indicated strong participant engagement, emotional safety, and perceived personalization benefits.

Conclusions:

  • Stylized avatars, combined with customization and mirrored embodiment, effectively support UX and therapeutic benefits in VR self-compassion therapy.
  • Findings challenge the necessity of hyperrealistic avatars, emphasizing the importance of emotionally congruent design in therapeutic VR.
  • This combination offers a promising, user-centered strategy for developing accessible therapeutic VR applications.