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Practitioner Acceptability of Virtual Reality Therapy in Mental Health Care: Evidence From Greece
Rigina Skeva1,2, Nektaria Pedioti2, Maria Eleni Efthymiou2
1Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Introduction:
Mental health conditions represent a global public health challenge, with persistent treatment gaps across healthcare systems despite available, effective interventions. Virtual reality therapy (VRT) offers a promising avenue for improving mental health service delivery; however, understanding practitioner acceptability is essential for successful implementation.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study examined the acceptability of VRT among mental health practitioners in Greece. Forty professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, and social workers) working across hospital, community, and long-term care settings completed a structured questionnaire assessing familiarity with virtual reality and VRT, and the acceptability of VRT for anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and its clinical integration.
Results:
Overall, VRT was perceived as acceptable; acceptability was highest for anxiety disorders, followed by bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Acceptability of VRT's clinical integration was low, with participants expressing concerns regarding service readiness, practitioner training, and long-term outcomes. Although practitioner familiarity with VRT was limited, they were open to VRT use, particularly as an adjunct.
Conclusions:
To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine VRT acceptability among mental health practitioners in Greece. The findings indicate that acceptability is shaped more by training, infrastructure, and culturally sensitive implementation than by resistance to technological innovation.
