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Virtual Humans in Virtual Reality Mental Health Research: Systematic Review
Shu Wei1,2, Daniel Freeman3,4, Aitor Rovira3,4
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Warneford Ln, HeadingtonOxford, OX3 7JX, United Kingdom.
JMIR XR and Spatial Computing
|December 4, 2025
Summary
Virtual humans (VH) in virtual reality (VR) show promise for mental health treatment. However, inconsistent reporting of VH design hinders progress, necessitating standardized investigations for optimized applications.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Virtual Reality Technology
Background:
- Virtual reality (VR) offers growing potential for mental health assessment and treatment.
- Virtual humans (VHs) are integral to many VR mental health applications.
- The design and impact of VHs in mental health research are under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the use of VHs in immersive VR for mental health.
- To analyze VH roles, interaction types, and tested human characteristics.
- To identify research gaps in VH design and reporting.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review following PRISMA guidelines.
- Searched major databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science).
- Included immersive VR studies with VHs in mental health contexts; synthesized data narratively.
Main Results:
- 79 studies met criteria, focusing on social anxiety, eating disorders, and psychosis.
- VHs served as interaction partners, crowds, or participant bodies.
- VH characteristics like body size and gender were varied, but personality was less explored.
Conclusions:
- VHs are versatile in VR mental health, but design reporting is inconsistent.
- Heterogeneity in studies and incomplete VH reporting limit comparability.
- Standardized reporting and systematic VH design research are crucial for evidence-based applications.
